2 syllables: free, zer. Stress on free.
FREE-zur
/ˈfɹizɚ/
freezer is pronounced FREE-zur (/ˈfɹizɚ/). It has two syllables (free-zer), with the stress on "free". A household appliance used to store food at temperatures well below freezing. The term also refers to the freezing compartment within a refrigerator. In everyday use, it denotes a dedicated cold-storage unit, often freestanding, with a compressor and insulated walls to preserve perishables longer than standard refrigeration.
A household appliance used to store food at temperatures well below freezing. The term also refers to the freezing compartment within a refrigerator. In everyday use, it denotes a dedicated cold-storage unit, often freestanding, with a compressor and insulated walls to preserve perishables longer than standard refrigeration.
"I bought a new freezer to store bulk meals."
"The freezer is full, so I’m organizing the shelves more efficiently."
"She kept the ice cream in the freezer for later."
Freezer is pronounced as /ˈfriː.zər/ (US) or /ˈfriː.zə/ (UK/AU). The primary stress is on the first syllable FREE. Start with an extended /iː/ as in 'freeze,' then glide into a softened /zər/ (US) or /zə/ (UK/AU). In careful speech you’ll hear a clear /ˈfriː/ then a voiced alveolar sibilant /z/ and a schwa-like ending. If you articulate the r, keep it light in rhotic accents; many British speakers reduce the final r to a voiced schwa. Audio references: try Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries for the exact pronunciations and audio samples.
Common errors: (1) Dropping the second syllable and making it one syllable (freez). (2) Turning /zər/ into /sər/ or /zɚ/ with reduced vowel length. (3) Misplacing the /r/ in non-rhotic accents, leading to /ˈfriː.zə/ but with a harsher or misplaced rhotic sound. Correction: emphasize the /z/ as a distinct consonant and keep a short, unstressed final vowel like schwa in non-rhotic speech. Practice by alternating between /ˈfriː.zər/ and /ˈfriː.zə/ to feel the subtle vowel reduction. Use minimal pairs with “freeze” and “freezer” in isolation and within phrases to lock the rhythm.
US: full rhotic /ˈfriː.zər/ with a pronounced /r/ at the end and a clear /z/. UK/AU: often non-rhotic or weakly rhotic; final /r/ may be silent or only lightly touched as /ˈfriː.zə/. The second vowel commonly reduces to a schwa in rapid speech (/ˈfriː.zə/). Vowel length in FREE tends to be longer in careful US speech; UK/AU may shorten slightly in casual settings. Ensure the initial /friː/ is a long, tense vowel, then a voiced /z/ followed by a light vowel in non-rhotic accents.
The difficulty lies in the final unstressed syllable. After the stressed /friː/, you transition from a voiced alveolar fricative /z/ to a reduced syllable that often lacks a strong vowel, especially in non-rhotic accents. Speakers may blur /z/ into /s/ or drop the final vowel entirely, producing /ˈfriːz/ or /ˈfriː.zə/ inconsistently. The combination of a long vowel, a voiced fricative, and a weak ending makes clean articulation require precise tongue positioning and timing—keep the /z/ clearly audible and finish with a relaxed schwa.
A distinctive feature is maintaining a crisp, audible /z/ transition into the final, often reduced, vowel. Unlike some two-syllable words where the second syllable carries a strong vowel, freezer relies on a noticeable /z/ followed by a lightly articulated ending. Practically, you’ll want to isolate the segments: /friː/ as a strong, steady vowel, then /z/ as a clearly voiced consonant, and end with a soft /ə/ or /ər/ depending on accent. This helps prevent monotone or rushed endings in fast speech.
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Freezer comes from the combination of freeze, meaning to cause a substance to become solid due to low temperature, and the suffix -er, indicating an agent that performs the action. The verb freeze dates to Old English freosan, with cognates in German frieren and Dutch vriezen, all from Proto-Germanic *freusaną. By the 19th century, -er was affixed to indicate devices or agents in English (e.g., heater, cooler). The sense of a machine that enforces freezing developed as domestic refrigeration technologies progressed in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when households began to own specialized appliances for food preservation. The modern term “freezer” typically refers to either a frozen-compartment in a refrigerator or a standalone unit. First known uses appear in trade catalogs and manuals from the early 20th century as consumer refrigeration became widespread. The word’s spelling stabilized to freezer in common usage by mid-20th century, aligning with other -er appliance names. The semantic shift reflects the increasing importance of zero-temperature storage in food safety and convenience.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "freezer" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "freezer" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "freezer"
-zer sounds
-ser sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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