2 syllables: graph, ics. Stress on graph.
GRAF-iks
/ˈɡɹæfɪks/
graphics is pronounced GRAF-iks (/ˈɡɹæfɪks/). It has two syllables (graph-ics), with the stress on "graph". Graphics refers to visual representations of information or scenes, such as images, charts, or designs generated by computers. It can denote the field of graphic design or the graphic elements themselves used in media. The term is commonly used in computing, publishing, and advertising contexts to describe visual content or the process of creating it.
Graphics refers to visual representations of information or scenes, such as images, charts, or designs generated by computers. It can denote the field of graphic design or the graphic elements themselves used in media. The term is commonly used in computing, publishing, and advertising contexts to describe visual content or the process of creating it.
"The new report features vibrant graphics to illustrate the data clearly."
"She studies graphics design and visual communication in college."
"We outsourced the graphics for the website to a freelancer."
Graphics is pronounced with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈɡræfɪks/. Start with a hard G as in grow, followed by the short æ vowel in ‘cat’, then a light /f/ sound, and end with a short i (as in 'kit') and a voiceless /ks/ cluster. A quick tip: keep the tongue high for the /æ/ and glide into a crisp /f/ before the final /ɪks/ cluster. You’ll hear a tight, clipped ending rather than a drawn-out ‘ics’.
Common errors include replacing /æ/ with an /e/ as in 'geographics' and over-pronouncing the final /ɪks/ as /ɪk-s/. Some speakers insert an extra syllable or soften the /ɡ/ into /dʒ/ or a /k/ to /s/ sound. Correction: keep the /ɡ/ hard, use the short /æ/ (not /e/), articulate a clear /f/ before the /ɪks/, and end with a crisp /ks/ cluster without a drawn-out vowel.
In US, UK, and AU accents, the initial /ɡ/ and /ræ/ syllable are consistent; the main variation lies in rhoticity and vowel quality in rapid speech. The US often keeps a tighter, sharper /æ/ and faster transition to /fɪks/. The UK may show a slightly shorter /æ/ and a more clipped /ɡræ/. Australian tends to be broader with a slightly more centralized /æ/ and less emphasis on the final /ks/. All share /ˈɡræfɪks/ as the common core.
The difficulty comes from the /æ/ in the middle and the /ks/ ending after /ɪ/. The mouth needs to transition quickly from a broad open front vowel to a strong /f/ then a short /ɪ/ before the /ks/. Beginners often mispronounce as /ˈɡrækɪks/ or /ˈɡræfpɪks/, blending or dropping the /f/. Focus on a clean /f/ and crisp stop in the /ɪks/ to land the word correctly.
A distinctive feature is the /ɡr/ cluster at the start, which tends to bleed into the /æ/ if you speak too quickly. You must articulate a firm /ɡ/ with the tongue body near the soft palate, then move into the /ræ/ vowel without over-rolling the r. It's about precise tongue position: back of the tongue for /ɡ/ and a relaxed but controlled /ɹ/ if you’re in rhotic usage; keep the /æ/ short and explosive before /f/.
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Graphics comes from the root word graphic, which derives from the Greek graphikos, meaning 'written, painted, drawn' and from graph- 'to write, draw'. The English adjective graphic entered Middle English from Latin graphicus, via Old French, in the sense of something written or drawn. Graphic as a noun to mean visual representation emerged in the late 19th to early 20th centuries with the rise of printing and publishing technologies, where ‘graphics’ referred to pictorial elements added to printed matter or layouts. The term gained momentum in computing with the emergence of computer graphics in the 1960s and 1970s, when digital images, charts, and interfaces began to be created algorithmically. Today, graphics encompasses a broad spectrum—from raster and vector images to complex visual simulations used in gaming, film, and data visualization. The plural form graphics is common in both design discourse and technology contexts, signaling multiple visual components or the discipline as a whole.
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Help others use "graphics" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "graphics" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "graphics" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "graphics"
-ics sounds
-cks sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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