3 syllables: gal, ler, ies. Stress on gal.
GAL-ur-eez
/ˈɡælɚiz/
galleries is pronounced GAL-ur-eez (/ˈɡælɚiz/). It has three syllables (gal-ler-ies), with the stress on "gal". Galleries refers to buildings or rooms that display art or other objects for viewing, typically arranged in a sequence. It can also mean the plural of a series of arches or a collection of passages in a single structure. The term is commonly used for art spaces and showcases in museums, cities, or private collections.
Galleries refers to buildings or rooms that display art or other objects for viewing, typically arranged in a sequence. It can also mean the plural of a series of arches or a collection of passages in a single structure. The term is commonly used for art spaces and showcases in museums, cities, or private collections.
"We spent the afternoon wandering through the galleries at the museum."
"Her photographs adorned several galleries after a successful exhibition."
"The architectural galleries formed a long corridor with arched openings."
Pronounce as /ˈɡæl.ə.riːz/ in US and UK, with primary stress on the first syllable. The sequence is GA-luh-reez; /ˈɡæl/ as in cat, /ə/ a reduced schwa in the second syllable, and /riːz/ as in.Read. For a natural rhythm, lightly connect the second and third syllables and avoid elongating the middle vowel. Audio reference: typical pronunciations on major dictionaries show /ˈɡæl.ə.riːz/ or /ˈɡæl.ɚ.iːz/ depending on rhoticity.
Two common errors: (1) Pronouncing as /ˈɡæl.ər.iz/ with a shallow final /z/ instead of /ːz/. Correct by prolonging the final syllable to /-riːz/ with a long /iː/ and a voiced /z/ rather than a crisp /z/. (2) Skipping the second syllable vowel, producing /ˈɡæl.riz/ or /ˈɡælεrez/; insert a schwa /ə/ between the first and last syllables (ˈɡæl.ə.riːz) and emphasize the middle vowel lightly.
US: rhotic /ɹ/ in some speakers yields /ˈɡæl.ə.ɹiːz/ with a rounded r in some dialects; UK: often /ˈɡæl.ər.iz/ or /ˈɡæl.ɪ.riːz/ with less rhoticity and a clearer /ə/ in the middle; AU: similar to UK but with more vowel reduction and a relaxed middle vowel, sometimes /ˈɡæl.ə.ɹiz/. The key is the middle syllable representing a reduced vowel and rhotic vs non-rhotic tendencies.
Difficulty arises from the three-syllable shape, the reduced central vowel, and the final lengthened /iː/ followed by /z/. Many learners misplace stress, turn /ə/ into a full vowel, or shorten /riːz/ to /riz/. Practice the three distinct syllables with a light middle schwa and ensure the final /iːz/ is long and voiced. IPA guidance helps lock in correct vowel length and consonant voicing.
A unique aspect is maintaining the contrast between the second syllable’s schwa /ə/ and the third syllable’s long /iː/ while keeping the final /z/ voiced. This requires precise tongue relaxation in the middle and a crisp, extended final vowel. Using a slow-down technique to isolate /ˈɡæl.ə.riːz/ helps you feel the transitions and avoid vowel reduction that blurs the final syllable.
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Galleries comes from the French galerie, from Italian galleria, meaning a long portico or corridor; the term originally referred to a covered walkway with arcades. In medieval and Renaissance architecture, a galeria or galleria described a sequence of colonnades or arches, often connected to a larger hall or cloister. The sense of a place for display — as in an art gallery — evolved in the 17th–18th centuries as such spaces became dedicated to exhibitions of paintings and sculptures. The English adoption led to plural galleries to denote multiple such spaces or a building with a series of art rooms. First used in English in the 15th–16th centuries in contexts relating to covered walkways, the modern sense of “art exhibition spaces” solidified by the late 18th to early 19th centuries with the rise of public museums and organized collections. The word retained its architectural sense of a corridor or arcade while expanding to refer to institutions and rooms devoted to display rather than storage or passage alone.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "galleries" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "galleries" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "galleries"
-ies sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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