Emergency (noun) refers to a sudden, unexpected situation demanding immediate action or attention. It denotes urgent danger or difficulty requiring rapid response, resources, or intervention. The term is used across medicine, safety, and public policy to describe critical moments when standard procedures must be accelerated or adapted to prevent harm.
- Misplacing the primary stress on the first syllable (em-) instead of the second syllable (e-MER-). This skews the natural rhythm and makes the word sound unfamiliar. To fix, practice 2-syllable rhythm: da-da-DUM, ensuring the emphasis sits on the second beat. - Weakening the middle /ɜːr/ into a dull schwa, giving /ɪˈmɛn.dʒənsi/; keep the strong, rounded /ɜːr/ by rounding lips and maintaining a mid-back tongue position. - Slurring the /dʒ/ into /d/ or /j/, producing /ˈmɜːrn̩si/; ensure a clean, quick palato-alveolar affricate with a brief voicing before the /ən/. - Final /si/ being too short or voiceless; keep the /i/ as a light, whispered vowel leading to the /si/; avoid truncation.
- US: rhotic /ɜːr/ with more pronounced /r/; keep /r/ fully articulated in stressed syllable. - UK: less rhotic influence in some accents; the /r/ in the middle may be weaker or absent; maintain /ˈmɜːdʒənsi/ with clear /dʒ/ and final /si/. - AU: tends to be closer to US vowels but with Australian vowel shifts; keep /ɪˈmɜːdʒənsi/ with a crisp /dʒ/. Reference IPA: US /ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi/, UK /ɪˈmɜːdʒənsi/, AU /iˈmɜːdʒənsi/. Accent tips include keeping the second syllable stressed, and using a slightly flatter intonation in formal text-to-speech contexts.
"The hospital activated its emergency protocol after the accident."
"In an emergency, call 911 immediately for assistance."
"Fire drills prepare students for emergencies without panic."
"The emergency exit doors are clearly marked for quick evacuation."
Emergency comes from Middle French emergency, from late Latin emergency derived from emergere, meaning to rise up, appear, or come forth. The root emer-, from Latin ex-, meaning out, and mergere, to dip or plunge, suggests something arising out of danger. The sense evolved through legal and ecclesiastical use in the 15th–17th centuries to denote a state requiring immediate action, especially in military, medical, or safety contexts. In English, the word settled into common usage by the 18th century, expanding to describe not only imminent danger but any sudden, pressing need surpassing ordinary routines. The prefix en- in English solidified the noun form, reinforcing the sense of a moment calling for decisive response. Over time, “emergency” has become a general term capturing urgent situations requiring rapid decision, coordination, or resource mobilization across sectors. First known uses appeared in legal and medical texts where authorities needed to authorize expedited measures, eventually entering everyday language as a shorthand for urgent, life-impacting events.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Emergency" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Emergency" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Emergency" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "Emergency"
-nce sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Emergency is pronounced with stress on the second syllable: /ɪˈmɜːdʒənsi/ in US and UK forms. Start with a short, unstressed /ɪ/ followed by a strong /ˈmɜːr/ in US and /ˈmɜː/ in UK, then /dʒən/ and finally /si/. Mouth positioning emphasizes a voiced postalveolar affricate /dʒ/ as in judge, with a soft schwa-like /ə/ before the final /si/.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (em-ER-jency instead of e-MER-gen-cy) and mispronouncing the /dʒ/ as /tʃ/ or /z/. Another frequent issue is reducing the final /si/ to a quick /si/ or omitting the second vowel sound resulting in /ɪˈmɜːrdʒən/ without the final /si/. Practice keeping a steady /ɪ/ on the first syllable, clear /ˈmɜːr/ or /ˈmɜː/ on the second, then /dʒənsi/.
In US English, /ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi/ with rhotic /ɜːr/. UK English often uses /ɪˈmɜːdʒənsi/, with a non-rhotic vowel quality on the /r/ (less rhoticity in some accents). Australian English generally mirrors US/UK with /ɪˈmɜːdʒənsi/ but can exhibit slightly broader vowels in /ɜː/. The primary difference is rhoticity and vowel length; the /dʒ/ remains constant across dialects. IPA references: US /ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi/, UK /ɪˈmɜːdʒənsi/, AU /iˈmɜːdʒənsi/.
The challenge lies in the triplet consonant cluster /ndʒ/ and the multi-syllabic stress pattern. The sequence /dʒən/ requires a careful release into a schwa and a high-front /i/ at the end, which can be mis-articulated as /dʒən/ or /dj/. Additionally, the secondary/unstressed vowels before the stressless syllables can be reduced too much, weakening the overall rhythm. Focus on maintaining a clear /ˈmɜːr/ or /ˈmɜː/ and a distinct /dʒ/ followed by /ən/ before the final /si/.
In Emergency, the final letters 'cy' produce the /si/ sound, as in 'city' or 'policy'—the combination yields /si/ with an easy, closed syllable. The preceding /n/ blends into /si/ without creating a new consonant cluster. Remember the final syllable is /si/ with clear voiceless alveolar sibilant. Practice saying /ˈmɜːrdʒənsi/ to keep the final /si/ crisp.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Emergency"!
- Shadowing: listen to a 30–60 second native pronunciation clip and repeat with a mirror for mouth positions. - Minimal pairs: focus on /ɪ/ vs /iː/ in first syllable, and /ɜːr/ vs /ə/ in the second. E.g., emergency vs. emerge-?; use “emergency” with longer /ɜːr/; - Rhythm: practice 2-beat rhythm: e-MER-gen-cy; count 1-2-3-4 as you say each syllable, stressing beat 2. - Stress practice: alternate between focused stress (e-MER) and full tri-syllable delivery (e-MER-gen-cy). - Recording: record yourself, compare with reference; listen for the final /si/ clarity. - Context sentences: 'The emergency drill proved effective.' 'Emergency services arrived quickly.' - Speed progression: start slow, then normal, then fast, ensuring clarity.
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