One syllable: grams.
gramz
/ɡɹæmz/
grams is pronounced gramz (/ɡɹæmz/). It has one syllable (grams), with the stress on "grams". Grams refers to the plural form of the unit gram, a metric unit of mass equal to one thousandth of a kilogram. In broader use, it can denote small quantities measured in grams. The term is common in science, nutrition, and everyday measuring contexts. It functions as a noun or count noun in phrases like “a few grams” or “grams of sugar.”.
Grams refers to the plural form of the unit gram, a metric unit of mass equal to one thousandth of a kilogram. In broader use, it can denote small quantities measured in grams. The term is common in science, nutrition, and everyday measuring contexts. It functions as a noun or count noun in phrases like “a few grams” or “grams of sugar.”
"Please add 10 grams of salt to the mixture."
"The recipe calls for 250 grams of flour."
"She weighed the fruit in grams on a kitchen scale."
Pronounce it as /ɡræmz/, with a single stressed syllable. Start with a voiced velar plosive /ɡ/ as in
Common errors include devoicing the final /z/ to /s/ (pronouncing /ɡræms/) and adding an extra vowel in the middle (like /ˈgræ.æmz/). Focus on a clean /z/ ending. Keep the vowel short and precise, not elongated. Ensure the /m/ before /z/ is silent-free, and that the /z/ is subtle but audible.
In US/UK/AU, /ɡræmz/ remains consistent; the key variation is in surrounding connected speech. In fast speech, the /z/ can merge with following sounds or be devoiced slightly in stress contexts. Rhoticity influences surrounding vowels in longer phrases, but the word itself keeps a crisp /æ/ and /z/.
The challenge lies in maintaining a crisp /ɡ/ onset without a glottal stop, followed by a short /æ/ vowel and a voiced /z/ that doesn’t voice into a /s/. Coordinating mouth closure and voicing in the /z/ requires precise timing, especially in rapid speech.
The word combines a hard onset /ɡ/ with a voiced alveolar fricative /z/ in a single syllable, which can be tricky in rapid speech where the final /z/ may devoice or assimilate with following consonants. Also, the final /mz/ cluster demands careful tongue movement to avoid confusion with /m/ or /s/ alone.
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Gram comes from the late 18th century, from the French gramme, which itself derives from the Greek word gramma meaning something written or a weight measure, akin to “to write down a weight.” The original metric system, developed in the 1790s during the French Revolution, established the gram as the base unit of mass in the gramme-kilogramme system. Early adopters adopted gramme in scientific and educational contexts; the spelling variation gramme persisted in British usage for a time, but modern English standardized on gram. The term’s semantic evolution centers on precise mass measurement, moving from a written record of a weight to a standardized, internationally recognized unit of mass. First known English usage appears in late 18th–early 19th century scientific writings as the metric system began to spread through Europe and then globally. In contemporary usage, “grams” is ubiquitous in food labeling, nutrition, science experiments, and everyday weighing tasks.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "grams" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "grams" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "grams"
-ams sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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