One syllable: glands.
/ɡlændz/
glands is pronounced /ɡlændz/. It has one syllable (glands), with the stress on "glands". Glands are small organs that secrete substances such as hormones, enzymes, or sweat. They’re often part of the endocrine or exocrine systems, producing products that regulate bodily functions or protect the skin. In everyday language, “glands” refers to multiple gland structures in the body. Clear pronunciation helps distinguish them from similar terms like “glance” or “glands” in technical contexts.
Say it backGlands are small organs that secrete substances such as hormones, enzymes, or sweat. They’re often part of the endocrine or exocrine systems, producing products that regulate bodily functions or protect the skin. In everyday language, “glands” refers to multiple gland structures in the body. Clear pronunciation helps distinguish them from similar terms like “glance” or “glands” in technical contexts.
"The thyroid and adrenals are major glands in the endocrine system."
"Sweat glands become active during exercise to cool the body."
"Sebaceous glands secrete oils that protect the skin."
Pronounce it as /ɡlændz/. Start with a hard /g/ as in ‘go,’ then a clear /l/ with the tongue touching the alveolar ridge. The vowel is a short /æ/ as in ‘cat,’ followed by the voiced final /dz/ cluster, like the end of ‘lads’ but with a z-sound. Stress is on the single syllable: GLANDS. IPA guidance: US/UK/AU share /ɡlændz/. Mouth position: lips slightly rounded, jaw lowered, tip of the tongue near the alveolar ridge, and voice continues through the final /z/.
Common mistakes include altering the vowel to /e/ or /ɪ/ (saying ‘glends’ or ‘glindz’) and misproducing the final /z/ as /s/ or a voiceless /t/ sound. Another error is softening the /l/ into a vowel or producing /ɡlænd/ without the final voiced z. To correct: keep a crisp, short /æ/ vowel, maintain the /l/ with a light but clear contact, and finish with a voiced /z/ by voicing through the closure between the tongue and alveolar ridge. Practice with minimal pairs such as glands vs.glandes (French) to feel the distinction.
In US English, /ɡlændz/ with a slightly tensed short /æ/ and a clear, voiced /z/. UK English similar but often with a crisper /l/ and less vowel reduction preconsonants; some speakers may have a slightly darker /ɫ/ or more pronounced /l/ color. Australian pronunciation tends to be non-rhotic or weakly rhotic depending on speaker; the /ɡlændz/ cluster remains, but the vowel may sound broader or more centralized due to the Australian short a variability. Overall, rhoticity is less of a factor here than the quality of the vowel and the final /z/ voicing.
Difficulties arise from the /l/–/æ/–/dz/ sequence, where the /l/ is a liquid that must be clearly released before the short /æ/. Some speakers reduce the vowel to /ə/ or mis-tap the /d/ portion of /dz/ resulting in /zd/ or /z/ alone. The trailing /z/ requires voicing; you must maintain airflow while engaging the alveolar ridge. Training with minimal pairs and controlled breathing helps unify the transitions from /l/ to /æ/ to /dz/.
Yes: the final /dz/ cluster is the distinguishing feature; many learners misplace voicing or bland the z into an /s/. Emphasize the bunched tongue position for /d/ closure before the alveolar friction in /z/. Also ensure the initial /ɡl/ is a clean onset: no intrusive vowel between /g/ and /l/; keep them tightly connected to avoid blending into /ɡlænd/. Finally, keep the vocal folds engaged through /z/ to avoid devoicing.
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Glands comes from Middle English gland, from Old French gland, from Latin glans ‘acorn’ or ‘gland, glandular tissue,’ notably used for a swelling or swelling-like mass. The original sense related to a lump or node, later extending to anatomical glands due to their rounded, nodular appearance. In anatomical discourse, the term solidified to refer to secretory organs, with early medical texts using gland to denote any natural swelling or swelling-like structure. The plural glands forms through standard English pluralization. The word’s semantic shift tracks with the broader evolution of anatomical vocabulary in the Latin-influenced scientific lexicon of medieval and early modern Europe, where terms for body parts often reflect Latin roots and descriptive imagery (e.g., glans meaning acorn, a nodular shape). First known English occurrences appear in scientific or medical writings as the study of anatomy expanded in the 14th to 16th centuries, with Latin-based transliterations becoming common in English texts. Over time, glands has become a precise term for discrete secretory structures, differentiated from other nodes or masses by function and histology rather than gross morphology alone.
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Words that rhyme with "glands"
-nds sounds
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