Gethsemane is a biblical proper noun referring to a garden near Jerusalem where Jesus prayed before his arrest. It is used in Christian liturgy and literature to denote a moment of deep, solitary contemplation or trial. The term carries solemn, religious connotations and is often invoked in sermons, hymns, and prayers.
"In the gospel narrative, Jesus prayed in Gethsemane before his betrayal."
"The hymn invites us to seek the strength of Gethsemane in times of sorrow."
"Scholars discuss the symbolic weight of Gethsemane in Christian theology."
"During the retreat, the participants reflected on the passion of Christ in Gethsemane."
Gethsemane derives from Late Latin Gethsémane, rooted in the Hebrew name for the place,גתשׁמַנֵי (Gat-shemenê) meaning “the oil press” or “oil-press garden.” The Greek transcription appears as Γεθσημανή (Gethsemané). In the Hebrew Bible, the location is connected with the Mount of Olives and an oil-press garden—likely where olives were pressed for lamp oil. The suffix -mane or -maneh in ancient Semitic languages sometimes conveys a place name. In medieval Latin and vernacular Christian usage, the word settled into English as Gethsemane, retaining its reference to the garden, its olive trees, and the moment of prayerful agony. The term’s first English attestations are tied to Latin and Greek biblical translations, with the form stabilizing in print by the 15th century. Over time, Gethsemane has retained liturgical and literary weight, often evoking solitude, surrender, and spiritual trial in Christian contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "Gethsemane"
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Pronounce as gehth-SEH-muh-nee, with primary stress on the second syllable: /ɡɛθˈsɛməni/. Start with a hard G (like in get), then a 'eth' sound where the th is unvoiced, followed by a clear 'seh' and a final unstressed 'muh-nee.' Listen to a biblical recitation for exact cadence: /ɡɛθˈsɛməni/.
Common errors include underemphasizing the second syllable or mispronouncing the 'th' as a 'th' voiced as in then rather than the unvoiced th in think. Another frequent error is slipping the final '-ne' into a single syllable or flattening the vowel in the middle syllable. Correct these by practicing the sequence: ge(th) - SE - ma - ne, keeping /ˈsɛm/ in the stressed position and ensuring the 'th' is voiceless /θ/.
In US, you’ll hear /ɡɛˈθsɛməni/ with a crisp, aspirated first syllable and strong 'th' as in 'think.' UK often retains a slightly rolled or dental stop articulation on the 't' and a longer central vowel in the middle, sounding /ɡɛθˈsɛməni/. Australian tends to be flatter with less vowel reduction, giving /ɡeθˈsɛməni/ and a light, non-rhotic emphasis. Across all, primary stress remains on the second syllable.
The difficulty lies in the sequence of consonant clusters and the unvoiced dental fricative /θ/ after a hard /g/. Many English speakers struggle to hold the /θ/ sound and to place stress accurately on the second syllable. Another challenge is preserving the three-syllable rhythm in slower speech while keeping the final -e pronounced as /i/ rather than a schwa. Practice with minimal pairs that emphasize the /θ/ and the stress pattern.
A unique feature is the presence of the unvoiced dental fricative /θ/ immediately after /g/, forming /ɡθ/. This is less common in many languages and can be misheard as /ɡf/ or /ɡz/ by non-native speakers. Focus on placing the tongue blade between the upper and lower teeth and forcing a small, steady stream of air without voice. Also, keep the middle vowel crisp: /sɛm/ rather than /zɛm/.
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