One syllable: gland.
gland
/ɡlænd/
gland is pronounced gland (/ɡlænd/). It has one syllable (gland), with the stress on "gland". Gland is a small, specialized organ or tissue that secretes substances such as hormones, enzymes, or sweat. It can be part of a larger system (like endocrine or exocrine glands) and is characterized by its secretory function and ductal pathways. In everyday language, it often appears in medical or biological contexts, as well as metaphorically to describe a source or origin of something.
Gland is a small, specialized organ or tissue that secretes substances such as hormones, enzymes, or sweat. It can be part of a larger system (like endocrine or exocrine glands) and is characterized by its secretory function and ductal pathways. In everyday language, it often appears in medical or biological contexts, as well as metaphorically to describe a source or origin of something.
- Common issues: (•) Vowel quality before /n/: keep /æ/ distinct; avoid integrating a longer /æː/ sound or a schwa. (•) Final consonant release: ensure a crisp /d/ rather than a /t/ or finished with a stop that’s voiceless. (•) Link and cluster: in rapid speech, people may elide or blend /l/ and /æ/; practice slow, deliberate enunciation then speed up. Correction tips: isolate sounds with slow practice, use minimal pairs like “glad” vs “gland,” record yourself, compare to a native speaker, and adjust tongue position and lip rounding. Practice with 1-2 second pauses to ensure the /æ/ is central and the /nd/ is articulated cleanly.
"The thyroid is a gland that regulates metabolism."
"Sweat glands help cool the body through perspiration."
"The oil glands in your skin can become clogged and cause acne."
Pronounce as one syllable: /glænd/. Start with a hard /g/ as in go, then the /l/ with the tongue near the alveolar ridge, followed by the short, open back vowel /æ/ as in cat, and finish with the /nd/ cluster where the tongue briefly contacts the alveolar ridge for the /n/ before the final /d/. The mouth closes with a small, quick release. In connected speech, you’ll hear it as /gland/ with clear enunciation of /æ/ before /nd/. IPA: US/UK/AU: glænd.
Two common errors: (1) turning /æ/ into a schwa in rapid speech, leading to /glənd/. Focus on a clear short /æ/ by keeping jaw slightly lowered. (2) Voicing error on the final /d/, where some speakers make /t/ or devoice the /d/. Practice by saying /glæn-d/ with a crisp, voiced /d/. Keep the tongue behind the top teeth for /d/. Using minimal pairs like “glad” versus “gland” can help you hear the difference in the final consonant.
US, UK, and AU all share /glænd/ but with subtle differences. US often maintains a tighter /æ/ and a slightly longer /l/; UK may feature a crisper /d/ and a marginally shorter /æ/ in rapid speech; Australian tends to have a broader /a/ quality but still keeps the /æ/ sound recognizable, sometimes with less released final consonant. All three are non-rhotic? Actually gland is rhotic for US and AU in vowel quality, but the final /d/ is consistently released. IPA: US/UK/AU: glænd, with minor vowel height and duration differences per variety.
Gland challenges center on the short, lax vowel /æ/ before the alveolar nasal /n/ and the abrupt /nd/ cluster. The transition from vowel to the alveolar nasal can blur in rapid speech, causing a /glænd/ or /glænd/ mispronunciation. The /n/ shares the alveolar contact with the following /d/, which must be released to produce a crisp /d/. For speakers with a tendency toward vowel reduction or vowel length variance, maintaining a distinct, short /æ/ before /n/ is key. IPA guidance helps you tune mouth position.
A unique feature is the brief, subtle contact needed between the tongue and alveolar ridge for the /n/ while keeping the /d/ release distinct. Ensure you do not glide into /ɡlænd/ with a heavy /g/ release; the /g/ should be a clean hard stop, then straight to the /l/ and /æ/ vowel. The /æ/ must be short and lax, not a prolonged vowel, to avoid merging with the following nasal. This precise timing of tongue and air is what makes gland sound natural in fast speech.
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- US: /glænd/ with a clear /æ/; slightly more rhotic vowel coloring in connected speech; keep the /l/ light and the /n/ not too nasal. - UK: crisper final /d/ and slightly tighter /æ/; less voltage on the vowels due to non-rhotic tendencies in surrounding words but gland itself remains stable. - AU: similar to US but often flatter vowel quality; ensure the /æ/ remains short and not drawn out; keep a clean /d/ release. IPA references: US /glænd/, UK /glænd/, AU /glænd/.
Gland comes from Middle English gland, from Old English glēond or glænd, related to the Proto-Germanic glōndiz, meaning a lump or swelling, and from a verb root meaning to swell or a lump. Historically, it referred to bodily swelling or a lump; later, medical usage emerged to denote any secretory structure. The term evolved through Latin glandula for a small acorn-shaped gland, and eventually the modern sense broadened to include both endocrine and exocrine-secretory organs. First known uses appear in medical and anatomical texts of the 16th century, with earlier roots in general anatomical descriptions. Over time, “gland” acquired metaphorical uses in biology and physiology, as well as common idiomatic expressions referring to sources or origins of something (e.g., “a gland in the system” metaphorically). In contemporary usage, it retains its anatomical sense but is frequently encountered in everyday health, science, and educational contexts. The word’s integrity hinges on the contrast between small size and significant secretory function, a pairing that remains consistent across modern scientific discourse.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "gland" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "gland"
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