One syllable: geese.
gees
/ɡis/
geese is pronounced gees (/ɡis/). It has one syllable (geese), with the stress on "geese". Geese is the plural form of goose, referring to multiple adult birds, typically waterfowl in the family Anatidae. In general usage, it denotes more than one goose and can also appear in idiomatic expressions (e.g., goose family, goose bumps). The word is monosyllabic in common pronunciation and features a long /iː/ vowel followed by a voiceless sibilant at the end. It is a frequently encountered irregular plural in English.
Geese is the plural form of goose, referring to multiple adult birds, typically waterfowl in the family Anatidae. In general usage, it denotes more than one goose and can also appear in idiomatic expressions (e.g., goose family, goose bumps). The word is monosyllabic in common pronunciation and features a long /iː/ vowel followed by a voiceless sibilant at the end. It is a frequently encountered irregular plural in English.
"The geese swam in a V-shaped formation across the lake."
"A flock of geese honked loudly as they passed overhead."
"We counted several geese by the marsh at dusk."
Geese is pronounced with a hard initial /ɡ/ followed by a long /iː/ vowel and a voiceless final /s/. The phonemic sequence is /ɡiːs/. The mouth starts with a slight jaw drop for the /ɡ/, raises the tongue blade toward the hard palate for /iː/, then closes with a crisp /s/. In careful speech, you’ll hear about a 1-syllable, tense vowel before the final /s/. IPA: /ɡiːs/. Tip: keep the /iː/ sustained to avoid shortening before /s/. Audio reference: standard dictionaries and pronunciation tools can provide native speaker samples for /ɡiːs/.
Two common mistakes are pronouncing it as /ɡiːz/ with a voiced final consonant, and mispronouncing the vowel as a lax /ɪ/ or shortened /i/ like in 'geese' vs 'geese' in some rapid speech. Corrective tips: ensure the final consonant is voiceless /s/, not /z/; hold the vowel as a long /iː/ from /ɡ/ through the vowel into the /s/. Practice with minimal pairs like /iː/ vs /ɪ/ (geese vsGeis) and emphasize a clean /s/ at the end. IPA: /ɡiːs/.
In US, UK, and AU, geese shares /ɡiːs/, but rhoticity and vowel quality slightly shift. US and AU often maintain a pure /iː/ with a clear, airy ending; UK can have a slightly longer vowel duration before /s/, with minor elongation in some dialects. All three avoid a diphthong here; the key is a tense, high front vowel before the /s/. IPA remains /ɡiːs/ across these varieties, with practical differences in vowel length and voicing patterns in connected speech.
Geese challenges learners due to the lengthened front vowel /iː/ followed by a crisp /s/, which can lead to vowel shortening in rapid speech or a /z/ substitution. Additionally, some learners front the tongue or drop the jaw too early, turning /iː/ into /i/ or /ɪ/ and creating a voiced final consonant /z/. Focus on sustaining the /iː/ and producing a precise, voiceless /s/ to avoid vowel shortening or a voiced ending.
In practice, you emphasize the /iː/ and /s/ to capture the crisp sound of a honk while maintaining the word’s single-syllable rhythm, helping listeners connect the sound with the animal they’re hearing.
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Geese derives from Old English gēs, related to Proto-Germanic *gaisiz. The word’s pluralization mirrors a broader Germanic pattern where the singular goose (geāse) became geese through vowel mutation (ablaut). The root sits in the Proto-Indo-European stem *ge- or *gheh- indicating a goose-like bird, with early Germanic languages reflecting the same plural-internal vowel change (i.e., goose → geese). In Middle English, the form geese appeared as geis or ges, evolving into modern geese by the 12th–15th centuries as English phonology favored irregular plurals due to stress shift and vowel alternation. The term has remained stable in its plural form, unlike many other irregular plurals that absorb -s/-en endings. The word’s semantic domain—waterfowl, migration, and honking behavior—emerged in historical texts where geese were notable for migration patterns and domestication, reinforcing the term in both rural and literary contexts.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "geese" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "geese" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "geese" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "geese"
-ees sounds
-eas sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
