2 syllables: fe, ces. Stress on fe.
FEE-seez
/ˈfiˌsiz/
feces is pronounced FEE-seez (/ˈfiˌsiz/). It has two syllables (fe-ces), with the stress on "fe". Feces refers to solid bodily waste expelled from the digestive tract. The term is formal and clinical, used in medical or scientific contexts, and is distinct from urine. It is pronounced with two syllables and a short, unstressed second syllable, typically associated with neutral or clinical tone in professional discourse.
Feces refers to solid bodily waste expelled from the digestive tract. The term is formal and clinical, used in medical or scientific contexts, and is distinct from urine. It is pronounced with two syllables and a short, unstressed second syllable, typically associated with neutral or clinical tone in professional discourse.
"The veterinarian collected a sample of the dog’s feces for analysis."
"Medical reports will describe feces characteristics to assess digestion."
"The lab test checked for parasites in the feces."
Pronounce FEH-seez, with primary stress on FE. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈfiːsiz/ or /ˈfiːsiz/. The first syllable is a long E vowel [iː], the second syllable is a reduced, plural -es pronounced as [z], so it sounds like FEE-ziz without a strong consonant onset on the second syllable. Tongue high and forward for the /iː/; keep the lips neutral. You’ll hear a crisp, non-emphatic ending /z/ in careful speech. In connected speech, it can sound like /ˈfiːzɪz/ depending on rhythm, but the canonical form keeps /siz/.”
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress, saying fuh-SEEZ or fe-CEZ; (2) Slurring the /s/ into a soft /z/ or mispronouncing the second syllable as /ɪz/ instead of /siz/. Correction: practice FE first with a long /iː/, then add a clear /z/ plural ending to produce /ˈfiːsiz/. (3) Reducing the first syllable too much, making it /fi ziz/ or /fiːzɪz/; hold the /iː/ long and ensure the second syllable remains /siz/ rather than /sɪz/.”
In US/UK/AU, the primary stress stays on the first syllable with /iː/ in FE. Differences lie mainly in vowel quality of /iː/ and the trailing /z/ duration. US speakers may maintain a tighter final /z/ with short release, UK speakers might have a slightly lusher /iː/ and a crisper /z/; Australian speakers often have a similar pattern but with a more centralized vowel color and softer final /z/. Overall, the vowel is a long /iː/, and the final is /z/; differences are subtle, mainly in vowel length and voicing articulation of the regressive /s/ to /z/ transition.”
The challenge is keeping the long /iː/ large and steady in FE, then smoothly transitioning to the /z/ without a glottal stop or a lag between syllables. Beginners often merge FE with FE- /siz/ or insert a glide, producing /ˈfiːsɪz/ or /ˈfɛsiz/. The key is sustaining precise tongue height for the /iː/ and ensuring the final /z/ is voiced rather than a fricative that sounds like /s/ or /z/ without the proper voicing. Practice with minimal pairs to feel the interval and make the transition crisp.”
Unique question: Do you need to avoid silent letters with feces? No. Both syllables are pronounced: FEH and SEES; there is no silent letter. The sequence is clear: the long vowel /iː/ on FE, then a voicedalveolar fricative /z/ in the final consonant cluster. The plural -es is not silent; it carries the final /z/. Remember to keep the larynx engaged through both syllables to ensure a natural, non-bleating /z/ at the end.
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The word feces comes from Latin feces, meaning “dregs, filth, loathsome matter,” derived from the verb facere ‘to make, do’ in the sense of what is produced or produced matter. In late Latin, feces referred to filth or waste matter, particularly from digestion. The transition into English retained the sense of bodily waste and is attested around the early modern period in scientific and medical usage. Over time, feces became common in clinical writing and anatomy, while more everyday terms like stool persisted in general speech. The Latin root reflects the broader Indo-European term for “feces” associated with produce or yield, and through medical Latin it came into English via scholarly texts that sought formal terminology for human and animal waste. The word’s form remains a simple two-syllable noun with the stress on the first syllable: FE-es, though in careful speech the final -es is often reduced in casual contexts. First known English uses appear in medical or anatomical descriptions from the 16th to 18th centuries, aligning with the period’s expansion of scientific lexicon in Europe. In modern usage, feces functions as a neutral, clinical term alongside other terms like stool or excrement, scaling in formality depending on audience and setting.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "feces" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "feces" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "feces"
-ses sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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