2 syllables: de, grees. Stress on grees.
/dɪˈɡɹiːz/
Say it backDegrees refers to steps or stages in a progression, or to units of angular measurement. It also appears in phrases like “Bachelor’s degree” or “degree of severity.” The term covers a range of levels or intensities and can function as a plural noun or, less commonly, in adjectival contexts (degree angles, degree of warmth). In everyday language, it signals gradation, extent, or qualification.
"The temperature rose by five degrees."
"She earned several advanced degrees in physics."
"Their agreement was a degree of compromise between two positions."
Pronounce it as /dɪˈɡriːz/ in most varieties of English. The stress is on the second syllable: de-GREEZ. Start with a light /d/ plus short /ɪ/, then glide into /ˈɡriː/ with a long /iː/ vowel, and end with the voiced /z/. Tip: ensure the /riː/ has a clear long vowel; don’t reduce to /rəː/. Listen for a subtle two-syllable feel: di-GREES, with the 'gree' carrying the primary vowel length.
Common errors: 1) Dropping the second syllable or misplacing stress, producing di-GREZ or DEG-ers. 2) Shortening the /iː/ to /ɪ/ or slurring the /riː/ into a quick /rə/. 3) Final /z/ devoicing in careful speech, making it sound like /s/. Correction: practice /dɪˈɡriːz/ with a clearly elongated /iː/ in the second syllable and a voiced /z/ for emphasis. Use minimal pairs to fix the vowels and ensure the /r/ is rhotic if your dialect allows.
In US English, the /ɪ/ in the first syllable is short and unstressed; the second syllable carries primary stress with /ɡriːz/. In UK English, /dɪˈgriːz/ mirrors US, but you may hear crisper /dɪ/ and a slightly more dental /d/. Australian English tends toward a broad /ɪ/ in the first vowel and a non-rhotic /r/ influence, with clear /iː/ in /ˈriːz/. Across all, the final /z/ remains voiced; ensure voicing isn’t devoiced in careful speech.
The challenge lies in the two-syllable balance and vowel length: /ɪ/ vs /iː/ in the second syllable and maintaining a clear, voiced final /z/. Non-native speakers often reduce /ɪ/ or fail to sustain the length of /iː/ in /riː/. Also, connecting speech with other words (e.g., ‘degrees Celsius’) can blur the boundary between syllables. Focused practice on the /ɡ/ + /riː/ cluster and the lips finishing with a voiced /z/ will improve accuracy.
The /g/ in degrees is a hard /g/ as in great. It’s a velar stop /ɡ/ produced at the back of the mouth, not a soft /dʒ/ or /j/. Your tongue should rise to contact the soft palate briefly, then release into the /r/ sequence of /riː/. Keep the /g/ release clean and avoid adding extra air after the consonant. A clean /g/ helps the second syllable stay distinct and prevents blending into /r/.”]},
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- US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; ensure /r/ surfaces before the /iː/ with a slight curl of the tongue. Vowel quality in /ɪ/ shifts toward a mid-central tint in rapid speech; keep the /iː/ long and fronted. - UK: non-rhotic or lightly rhotic depending on speaker; stress pattern remains second syllable, but the /r/ may be less prominent. Emphasize crisp /ɡr/ onset and maintain the length of /iː/. - AU: vowel variation in /ɪ/ and /iː/ with a tendency toward a centralized middle vowel; keep final /z/ voiced. Across all, anchor the /riː/ cluster by starting the tongue at the alveolar ridge and pulling it back to epiglottis lightly for /ɹ/; lips should be neutral with slight rounding for /o/ none here. IPA references: US /dɪˈɡriːz/, UK /dɪˈɡriːz/, AU /dɪˈɡriːz/.
The word degree comes from the Old French degre, from Latin gradus meaning a step, pace, or walking. The Latin root gradus is linked to grad- ‘step’ and is related to words like gradual, graduate, and gradient. The notion of degree evolved to denote a step in a scale or sequence, and later, angular measure in geometry, where a degree represents 1/360th of a circle. In medieval and early modern English, degre was used to indicate rank, status, or extent, which carried into modern usage as both a measure of temperature or angle and as a formal level of education (degrees in universities). Over time, the plural degrees became the standard form when referring to multiple measures, levels, or units, and the sense broadened to include intensity or extent (a degree of warmth, degree of certainty). First known use in English dates back to the 13th century, with evolving mathematical and educational connotations by the 17th–18th centuries as scientific and academic language expanded.
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Words that rhyme with "degrees"
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