4 syllables: ex, per, i, ments. Stress on per.
ik-SPER-uh-muhnts
/ɪkˈspɛɹəmənts/
experiments is pronounced ik-SPER-uh-muhnts (/ɪkˈspɛɹəmənts/). It has four syllables (ex-per-i-ments), with the stress on "per". Experiments refers to controlled, systematic investigations carried out to test hypotheses, gather data, and observe outcomes. It can also describe attempts or trials conducted to explore or demonstrate a phenomenon. In scientific, academic, or practical contexts, the term emphasizes method, observation, and replicable procedures.
Experiments refers to controlled, systematic investigations carried out to test hypotheses, gather data, and observe outcomes. It can also describe attempts or trials conducted to explore or demonstrate a phenomenon. In scientific, academic, or practical contexts, the term emphasizes method, observation, and replicable procedures.
- Commonly you might misplace the primary stress as ex-PER-i-ments instead of ex-pe-RI-ments; keep the emphasis on the second syllable (the PER). - Another frequent error is running the /sp/ cluster together with an indistinct /ɪ/ before the m, producing a blurred middle. Make a crisp /ɪ/ before /m/ and separate it from the following consonants. - Finally, some speakers drop or weaken the final /ts/ or /z/; ensure you articulate the final consonant clearly as /t s/ or /z/ depending on voice and accent.
"Scientists conducted a series of experiments to validate the new theory."
"The chef ran sensory experiments to refine the recipe's texture and flavor."
"In school, we did chemistry experiments to understand reaction rates."
Say it as /ɪkˈspɛr.ɪ.mɛn(t)s/ in US/UK pronunciation with stress on the second syllable of the root (spɛr). The final consonant cluster is /mɛnts/ or /mɛn(t)s/ depending on accent. Think: iCK-SPAIR-ee-mentz; keep the 'er' light and the 'ment' ending audible. Imagine saying ex-PEAR-uh-ments quickly, with clear -ments ending. Audio reference: listen for the /ˈspɛr.ɪ/ sequence and final /mɛnts/.
Two common errors: (1) Misplacing stress by saying ex-PE-riments; emphasize the wrong syllable. (2) Slurring the -r- and -i- into a quick 'er-ee' or dropping the final -s. Correction: place primary stress on the second syllable: ex-PER-i-ments, keep the /ɪ/ before m as a short, crisp vowel, and pronounce the final /z/ or /s/ clearly as /z/ in most American accents. Practicing with slow repeats helps fix the rhythm.
In US and UK, the core is /ɪkˈspɛr.ɪ.mɛnts/ or /ɪkˈspɛr.ɪ.mənz/, with minor variation in the final vowel quality and rhotacism. US speakers often voice-final -t or -d less distinctly, leading to /-mentz/ more consistently; UK tends toward /-mənz/ or /-mɛnts/ depending on speaker. Australian pronunciation tends to maintain clear vowel sounds with slightly flatter intonation and may reduce the /ɪ/ in the second syllable. Overall, stress remains on the second syllable; rhoticity is less pronounced in non-US varieties.
The combination of a multi-syllabic word with a mid-stress on the second syllable and a consonant cluster at the end makes it challenging. The /spɛr/ sequence requires precise tongue position to avoid blending with the following /ɪ/ and /m/. The final /t/ or /d/ can become a light /t/ or /z/ depending on accent. Also, pluralization affects the last consonant: some speakers push a brief /t/ vs. /s/; be deliberate with the final -ts/-z sound for clarity.
The near-synonymy with ‘experimentation’ highlights a pronunciation rhythm where the stress sits firmly on the second syllable of the stem (PER), coupled with a crisp, separate /i/ before the final -ments. Unlike some longer scientific terms, experiments keeps a tight rhythm with a distinct -ments ending; you should keep the /m/ and following nasal /n/ distinct, avoiding vowel diaeresis or linking that blunts the final consonant.
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- US: Rhotic, clear /r/; keep the /ɪ/ short and ensure the /z/ or /s/ at end is voiced; practice with a final /z/ in American speech. - UK: Slightly non-rhotic; you may hear a light /z/ or /t/ blend; emphasize second syllable with a crisp /ˈspɛr.ɪ/ and ensure the final /nts/ or /nz/ is audible. - AU: Similar to US but with flatter vowel quality; keep the /ɪ/ concise and end on a sharper /ts/ or /nz/; watch vowel laxity in /ə/. IPA references: US /ɪkˈspɛr.ɪ.mɛnts/, UK /ɪkˈspær.ɪ.ments/ (varies); AU /ɪkˈspɛr.ɪ.mənts/.
The word experiments derives from the Latin experimentum, meaning 'a test, trial, or proof,' from experiri 'to try' or 'to test.' The Latin root exp- + periri (to try) evolved into the Old French experiement and Middle French experiment, which entered English in the 14th–15th centuries as ‘experiment’ (singular). The plural form experiments followed natural English pluralization rules in the 16th–17th centuries, maintaining the sense of multiple trials or investigations. Historically, experiments were associated with philosophy and early science as a means to gain knowledge through observable, repeatable testing. Over time, the noun broadened to include any practical trial, not strictly scientific, that aims to discover or verify something. First known uses appear in scientific and philosophical writings of the Renaissance, aligning with the period’s shift toward empirical methods and evidence-based conclusions.
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