2 syllables: Fig, ure. Stress on Fig.
FIG-yur
/ˈfɪɡjɚ/
Figure is pronounced FIG-yur (/ˈfɪɡjɚ/). It has two syllables (Fig-ure), with the stress on "Fig". Figure (noun) refers to a person, figure, or symbol that stands out in a crowd or in data, often indicating importance or a numerical value. It can also describe a representation in art or a person’s silhouette. In common usage, it ranges from a person’s value or figure in statistics to a notable person or character. The term is frequently used in mathematics, discussions of data, and visual depictions.
nounFigure (noun) refers to a person, figure, or symbol that stands out in a crowd or in data, often indicating importance or a numerical value. It can also describe a representation in art or a person’s silhouette. In common usage, it ranges from a person’s value or figure in statistics to a notable person or character. The term is frequently used in mathematics, discussions of data, and visual depictions.
How to Pronounce Figure
"The figure in the chart shows a steady increase over the year."
"A famous figure from history spoke at the conference."
"She is a remarkable figure in the world of science."
Figure is pronounced with two syllables: /ˈfɪɡ.jɚ/ in US and /ˈfɪɡ.jə/ in UK/AU. The primary stress is on the first syllable: FIG-. The second syllable uses a rhotacized or non-rhotic ending depending on accent; in American English you’ll hear a final schwa plus r: /ˈfɪɡ.dʒɚ/ often simplifying to /ˈfɪɡjəɹ/. For precise practice, say FIG-jər with the y as a light glide.
Common errors include reducing the second syllable too much, saying /ˈfɪɡr/ without the vowel in the second syllable, or delaying the /j/ so it sounds like FIG-UR. Correct by maintaining a clear /j/ glide between syllables and finishing with a relaxed mid-central vowel: /ˈfɪɡ.jɚ/ (US) or /ˈfɪɡ.jə/ (UK/AU). Ensure the first syllable carries strong stress and avoid a secondary stress on the second syllable.
In US English, /ˈfɪɡ.jɚ/ with rhotic final /ɚ/; in UK English, /ˈfɪɡ.jə/ with non-rhotic /ə/ ending; in Australian English, typically /ˈfɪɡ.dʒə/ or /ˈfɪɡ.jə/, with subtle vowel quality differences and less pronounced rhotics. The consonant cluster before the vowel is consistent, but the vocalic ending varies: rhotic American /ɚ/ vs non-rhotic UK/AU /ə/.
The difficulty stems from the /ɡj/ cluster bridging into a mid vowel and the rhotic ending in American accents. The /ɡ/ followed by /j/ creates a slight “y” glide, which some speakers merge with a single consonant or omit. Additionally, non-rhotic varieties may reduce the final vowel, altering perceived syllable count. Practice the crisp /ɡj/ transition and a controlled, relaxed final vowel.
Think of it as FIG + yuh: the second syllable begins with a short /j/ that links from the /ɡ/. Emphasize the first syllable before gliding into a light, unstressed second syllable. Keep the lips relaxed and avoid tensing the jaw on the glide. Visualize saying FIG with a quick, soft Y motion: /ˈfɪɡ.jə/ (UK/AU) or /ˈfɪɡ.jɚ/ (US).
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Figure comes from Old French figure, from Latin figura meaning form, shape, appearance. The Latin figura derived from fingere, meaning to form, shape, or pretend. In ancient usage, figura referred to form or figure in sculpture, geometry, or representation. Through Middle French and Latin, the term broadened to mean an outline or silhouette, a person’s bodily form, and later, a numerical or symbolic representation in charts and accounts. In English, figure entered the language by the medieval period to describe both a person (a notable figure) and a numerical quantity (figures in accounts). By the 17th–18th centuries, the sense of “a person or thing that stands out” and “a diagram or mathematical quantity” were well established. In modern use, figure also appears in idioms like “a figure of speech,” while still retaining its core senses of form, count, and representation. Today, the word spans academic, statistical, artistic, and everyday contexts, retaining its link to form and appearance as well as numerical value.
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Words that rhyme with "Figure"
-ger sounds
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