2 syllables: di, vides. Stress on vides.
/dɪˈvaɪdz/
Say it backDivides is a verb (third-person singular present) meaning to separate into parts or groups, or to cause a group to separate. It can also refer to a mathematical operation that yields a quotient. In everyday usage, it often implies a division within opinions, opinions that split people, or a partitioning of a number by another number. The term emphasizes separation rather than unity.
- Common Mistake 1: Underemphasizing the second syllable stress. You might say di-VIDES or di-VI-des with even stress; fix by drilling the secondary stress with a higher pitch and crisper vowel in /ˈvaɪ/. - Common Mistake 2: Ending with a pure /z/ instead of the voiced alveolar affricate /dz/. Correct by pairing /aɪ/ with a clean /dz/ release, like the final sound in 'reads' but voiced and with the /z/ release. - Common Mistake 3: Slurring the /v/ into a /b/ or /f/ before /aɪ/. Ensure the /v/ is clearly voicing, with upper teeth on lower lip and a controlled transition to /aɪ/. Check mouth positioning in mirror and practice slowly.
"The river divides the town into two neighborhoods."
"The teacher divides the class into small groups for projects."
"Tax policy divisions divide the committee along partisan lines."
Pronounce as dɪ-VAHYDZ with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU: dɪˈvaɪdz. Start with a short, lax /dɪ/, glide into a strong /ˈvaɪ/ (the long 'i' sound is like 'eye'), and finish with a voiced /dz/ as in 'kids' but with a z-voice. Ensure the /v/ is labiodental and the /ai/ is a long diphthong transitioning toward the z sound. Mouth: lips neutral on /d/, upper teeth lightly touching lower lip for /v/, then wide onset for /v/ to /aɪ/ before closing with a voiced alveolar affricate /dz/. Audio cue: “di-VYDZ” with a crisp stop after /d/.
Two common errors: (1) Misplacing the stress to make di-VIDES or DI-vides; keep the secondary onset light and push the main stress to the second syllable. (2) Replacing /d/ at the end with a regular /s/ or /z/ without the final alveolar affricate; practice ending with /dz/ to capture the unified voiced ending. Corrections: rehearse dɪˈvaɪdz, ensure the /v/ is clear before the diphthong, and finish with a crisp /dz/—like the /dz/ in beds with a voiced quality. Practice slowly, then speed up while maintaining the final affricate.
US/UK/AU all share dɪˈvaɪdz, but non-rhotic accents may have a slightly reduced r-like quality in connected speech, not affecting /dz/. In US English, the /ɪ/ in the first syllable may be shorter in fast speech; in some UK varieties, the /v/ can be more labiodental and the final /dz/ slightly voicier; Australian English tends to be even more vowel-diphthongal in the /aɪ/ portion and may feature subtle vowel coloring. Overall differences are minor; the key is maintaining the second-syllable stress and the /dz/ ending.
The difficulty lies in the final voiced alveolar affricate /dz/ after a long diphthong /aɪ/. The sequence dɪ- /d/ + /ɪ/ plus the complex /ˈvaɪ/ and the crisp /dz/ creates a tight timing window. Many speakers gloss the end into a simple /z/ or /s/, losing the distinct /dz/. You can master it by isolating the final cluster: practice /vaɪdz/ slowly, then add voicing and release, and finally hang the last sound slightly longer, like a gentle burst.
The unique aspect is the combination of a strong diphthong /aɪ/ with a voiced alveolar affricate /dz/. Unlike simple plural endings, /dz/ requires a controlled, voiced release right after the vowel. You’ll hear a sharper end than just /dɪˈvaɪz/ or /dɪˈvaɪd/. Focus on the immediate transition from /aɪ/ into /dz/ with a single, smooth release.
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Divides comes from the Latin dividere, meaning to separate, cut apart, or detach. The root di- means 'apart, away,' and -videre/videre relates to seeing or cutting. In Latin, dividere is compounded from di- ('apart') + -videre ('to see' in the sense of separating with sight or cutting). The verb passed into Old French as diviser, maintaining the sense of separation, and into Middle English as devisen/divisen with spelling and pronunciation variants over time. The modern English divides appears with -es ending in third-person singular present tense, reflecting standard English verb conjugation. First known uses appear in Late Middle English texts, often in legal or mathematical contexts where division, partition, and separation were discussed. Over centuries, the meaning broadened to include social, ideological, and numerical division, as in dividing a population or resources, and in mathematics as a specific operation of segmentation with a quotient as the result. The word’s adaptability in both concrete and abstract sense has made it a common term across disciplines—from geometry and algebra to sociology and politics. The etymological thread highlights how the core idea of taking something whole and breaking it into parts persists across languages and centuries, influencing phrases like “divides the line,” “divides the budget,” and “divides opinions.”
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Words that rhyme with "divides"
-des sounds
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