3 syllables: e, mi, ssions. Stress on mi.
im-ISH-uhnz
/ɪˈmɪʃənz/
emissions is pronounced im-ISH-uhnz (/ɪˈmɪʃənz/). It has three syllables (e-mi-ssions), with the stress on "mi". Emissions is the plural noun and verb derive meaning from emitting; in common use it refers to substances released into the environment (such as gases from engines) or to the act of releasing or discharging something. The term carries technical weight in environmental science, policy, and industry, often appearing in discussions of air quality, pollution, and regulatory targets. It implies quantified outputs or releases over time.
Emissions is the plural noun and verb derive meaning from emitting; in common use it refers to substances released into the environment (such as gases from engines) or to the act of releasing or discharging something. The term carries technical weight in environmental science, policy, and industry, often appearing in discussions of air quality, pollution, and regulatory targets. It implies quantified outputs or releases over time.
- Misplacing stress on the first syllable: Say ih-MISH-ənz rather than ih-mih-SHUNZ. Ensure the primary stress stays on the second syllable /ˈmɪʃ/ and not the initial /ɪ/. - Dropping or slurring the /t/ into a soft /ʃ/ or omitting the /t/ entirely: You want /mɪʃənz/, not /mɪʃənz/ with no /t/ sound; the /t/ in emission contributes to the /ʃ/ sequence visually. Practice between /mɪt/ and /mɪʃ/ to feel the boundary. - Final syllable mispronunciation: Avoid pronouncing as /-mɪzənz/ or /-mɪʃənz/ with extra vowel length; keep /ənz/ (schwa + n + z) compact and voiceless to voiced transition clean.
"The city is tracking carbon emissions to meet its climate goals."
"Industrial emissions must be reduced to improve air quality."
"The car’s emissions fell after the new catalytic converter was installed."
You say ih-MISH-uhnz, with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US ɪˈmɪʃənz, UK ɪˈmɪʃ.ənz, AU ɪˈmɪʃənz. Start with a short, lax i in the first syllable, then a clear 'mish' cluster, and end with a weak schwa plus n z. Keep the final syllable light: -ənz rather than -ee-uhns.
Common errors include softening the second syllable into a stretched elongation (emiss- ions as ee-MISH-uhnz) and dropping the /t/ sound or turning it into a rapid /ʃ/ sound. Focus on the syllable boundary after /mɪ/ and pronounce /ʃ/ clearly before the /ənz/. Also avoid adding an extra vowel before the final /z/. Practice by isolating /mɪʃ/ and then attaching /ənz/.
In US and UK, the second syllable carries the main stress: /ɪˈmɪʃənz/. The US tends to a slightly tighter /ɪ/ vs UK’s /ɪ/ with subtle vowel duration differences; rhoticity isn’t a major factor here since the word ends with -z and carries vowel before. Australian English mirrors UK but may be slightly less clipped, with a marginally broader vowel in /ɪ/. Overall, vowel quality in /ɪ/ and the schwa in /ən/ are the main cross-accent variations.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /mɪʃənz/ where /ʃ/ follows /m/ and precedes a voiced /ənz/. The blend of /m/ + /ɪ/ + /ʃ/ can tempt a vowel shift, and the final /nz/ requires precise voicing and mouth shape. The plural suffix /-ənz/ adds an unstressed schwa before a voiced /z/, which can be swallowed or mis-sounded. Focus on the /ʃ/ quality and keeping the /ən/ compact before /z/.
Focus on the stressed second syllable and the final -s pronounced /z/. A common query variant is 'emissions pronunciation' or 'how to say emissions.' Including IPA variants and stress notes helps match search intent: ih-MISH-ənz, with emphasis on /ɪ/. This precision improves findability for reporters, scientists, and policy readers searching for correct articulation.
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- US: emphasize the /ɪ/ in the second syllable; keep the /ə/ (schwa) in the third syllable short and unstressed. Vowel quality resembles /ɪ/ in bit and sit; avoid a broad /i/. - UK: similar to US but often crisper consonants and slightly more clipped vowels; emphasize /ˈmɪʃ/ and keep /ənz/ light. The /ɜː/ rarely appears here; keep to /ɪ/ rather than a full /iː/. - AU: tends to be slightly more relaxed; keep the /ɪ/ close to the lax vowel; aim for a smoother transition into the /ənz/ sequence, with less voicing difference on final consonants.
Emissions derives from the verb emit, from Latin emissus, past participle of emittere, meaning to send out. Emit- comes from Latin ex- ‘out’ + mittere ‘to send.’ The English noun form emissions began appearing in the late 19th to early 20th century as technical terms joined everyday usage, particularly in meteorology, physics, and environmental science. Initially used to describe physical outputs or radiations from engines, processes, or reactions, it broadened to denote any discharge, release, or emanation of substances, information, or energy. The plural form signals multiple instances of emission rather than a single event. First known uses appear in scientific writings around the 1900s, with heightened frequency in mid-20th century environmental literature as concerns about air quality grew. By the late 20th and early 21st centuries, emissions became a central term in climate policy, regulatory reporting, and sustainability discourse, with precise definitions varying by domain (gas emissions, pollutant emissions, radioactive emissions, etc.). The word’s evolution reflects a shift from general “to send out” toward specialized counts and qualifiers (e.g., CO2 emissions, methane emissions).
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