2 syllables: do, main. Stress on main.
doh-MAYN
/doʊˈmeɪn/
domain is pronounced doh-MAYN (/doʊˈmeɪn/). It has two syllables (do-main), with the stress on "main". Domain refers to a specific field or territory over which control is exercised, a realm of knowledge or activity, or an area of a network or system designated for a particular purpose. It can denote authority, ownership, or a defined sphere in computing and organizational structures. The term encompasses both abstract domains (ideas) and concrete spaces (geographical or digital).
Domain refers to a specific field or territory over which control is exercised, a realm of knowledge or activity, or an area of a network or system designated for a particular purpose. It can denote authority, ownership, or a defined sphere in computing and organizational structures. The term encompasses both abstract domains (ideas) and concrete spaces (geographical or digital).
- You may default to a two-syllable form with the stress on the first syllable, pronouncing it as /ˈdoʊmən/ instead of /dəˈmeɪn/. Fix: keep weak-stressed first syllable a true schwa and lift emphasis to the second syllable. - Mispronounce the diphthong /eɪ/ as a simple /e/ or /iː/; practice with careful holding and glide: /eɪ/. Fix: practice with gradual mouth-opening gesture for the /eɪ/ glide. - Dropping the final /n/ or nasalizing into the previous vowel; keep the alveolar /n/ crisp with a clear closure. Fix: end with a crisp tongue blade contact and a short, clean release.
"The domain of this research includes cybersecurity and data privacy."
"She expanded her business domain to include online consulting services."
"Within the network, the domain controls access and resource allocation."
You pronounce it as /dəˈmeɪn/ in US and UK English, with the primary stress on the second syllable: do-MAIN. Start with a quick, soft schwa /ə/ followed by /ˈmeɪn/ where /eɪ/ is a long vowel. In careful speech, ensure the /d/ is clear but not harsh, and end with a clean nasal release for /n/.
Common errors include pronouncing as /ˈdoʊmən/ with the stress on the first syllable, which softens the main vowel; or turning /eɪ/ into a short /e/ as in /ˈdɛmən/. Another pitfall is blending the /n/ into the schwa or dropping the final /n/. Focus on keeping stress on the second syllable and using /eɪ/ for the long vowel in the second syllable—say /dəˈmeɪn/ clearly.
In US and UK, /dəˈmeɪn/ is standard with rhotic /r/ absent in non-rhotic UK accents. US speakers have a slightly tighter /ˈmeɪn/ with a longer 'a' vowel; UK typically has a less pronounced rhoticity in careful speech and a slightly crisper consonant. Australian usage mirrors General American patterns but may exhibit subtle vowel reductions in connected speech. Overall, the primary stress remains on the second syllable in all three, with small vowel quality shifts.
The difficulty lies in the two-syllable rhythm with secondary schwa onset followed by a strong /eɪ/ diphthong in the second syllable. Learners often misplace the stress on the first syllable or reduce /eɪ/ to /e/; keeping the nucleus as /eɪ/ requires intentional mouth openness and high-front tongue position. Additionally, ending with /n/ requires a clean alveolar closure without trailing nasal vowel effects.
The word emphasizes a hard onset /d/ and a clear, high-front vowel in the second syllable /eɪ/; a frequent trap is flattening the diphthong to a monophthong in rapid speech. You’ll hear speakers sometimes reduce the schwa in the first syllable to a nearly neutral /ə/ and then spike the /eɪ/ in the second. Stay mindful of the two-syllable rhythm and avoid running the two syllables together.
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- US: rhoticity is present in connected speech; avoid vowel reductions that soften /ə/ to a nearly silent initial; maintain strong /ə/ in the first syllable and a clear /eɪ/ in the second. IPA: /dəˈmeɪn/. - UK: non-rhotic tendency in careful speech; the second syllable /eɪ/ is het-level vowel quality, and the /n/ is crisp; avoid linking to the following word; allow slight vowel shortening in fast speech. IPA: /dəˈmeɪn/. - AU: tends toward General Australian vowel piano; maintain /ə/? in the first syllable, and /eɪ/ in second; keep rhythm even. IPA: /dəˈmeɪn/.
Domain comes from the Old French domaine, which itself derives from Latin dominus meaning ‘lord’ or ‘master.’ In medieval and early modern usage, domaine referred to an area under a lord’s control or a felled property. Over time, the sense broadened from land controlled by a feudal lord to any area governed by particular rules or authority, and later to abstract fields of knowledge or activity. In the digital age, domain gained a technical definition in computing, denoting a specific administrative scope such as a domain name, a domain of a network, or a domain in software architecture. The word’s core idea—control, ownership, and defined boundaries—remains constant across senses, while the ranging applications expanded from physical land to conceptual and digital spaces. First known uses appear in Old French contexts dating to the 13th century, with English adoption in the subsequent centuries, and modern specialized usage forming with the rise of computing in the 20th century.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "domain" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "domain"
-ain sounds
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