Growth refers to the process of increasing in size, number, value, or importance. It can describe biological development, economic expansion, or personal progress. The term conveys forward movement and positive change, often measured over time, and implies a sustained trajectory rather than a single event.
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- You may insert an extra vowel between /ɡ/ and /roʊ/, producing /ɡəroʊθ/; keep it as a clean onset: /ɡroʊθ/. - Some speakers replace /θ/ with /s/ or /t/: preserve the dental fricative by placing tongue tip between teeth and blowing air; practice with minimal pair: /roʊθ/ vs /roʊs/. - Dropping the initial consonant or saying /roʊθ/ without the /ɡ/: ensure the /ɡ/ is released clearly before the diphthong. - Vowel length: avoid shortening /roʊ/ to /ro/; keep the diphthong, moving from /ɡr/ into /oʊ/ smoothly.
- US: emphasize the /roʊ/ as a clear diphthong with a rounded lip position; final /θ/ is crisp with tongue tip at the upper teeth. - UK: often a slightly less rounded /əʊ/ in /rəʊθ/; keep non-rhoticity in some regions, so /ɡrəʊθ/ may feel less rhotic. - AU: can favor /ɡrəʊθ/ or /ɡroʊθ/, with a broader, less centralized /ə/ in some dialects; maintain the dental fricative. - IPA anchors: US /ɡroʊθ/, UK /ɡrəʊθ/, AU /ɡrəʊθ/; practice lip rounding, tip placement, and voiceless airflow for /θ/.
"The company's growth over the last quarter surpassed expectations."
"Her growth as a writer is evident in the clarity of her arguments."
"Investment in technology is fueling rapid economic growth."
"Childhood growth varies widely among individuals, influenced by nutrition and genetics."
Growth comes from Middle English grothe, from Old English growan (‘to grow’). The root is Proto-Germanic *groiwijan (to grow, increase), related to Old High German groen (to grow) and Dutch groeien. The noun form evolved to denote the process or degree of growth, distinct from the verb, by the 14th century. The semantic field widened to include figurative growth in wealth, population, and development. Over time, “growth” acquired mathematical and economic flavors, especially with the Industrial Revolution’s emphasis on growth metrics. In modern usage, it encompasses biological development (plants and organisms), economic metrics (GDP growth), and abstract progress (personal growth). First known uses appear in medieval English texts, with gradual standardization in the Early Modern period as a general term for expansion and increase in various domains.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "growth" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "growth" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "growth" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "growth"
-oth sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Growth is pronounced with a single syllable: /ɡroʊθ/ in US and many UK accents, and /ɡrəʊθ/ in some regional UK pronunciations. The initial is a voiced velar stop /ɡ/, followed by a long vowel /oʊ/ or /əʊ/, and ends with the voiceless dental fricative /θ/. Keep the /roʊ/ or /rəʊ/ cluster smooth, then gently release into /θ/. IPA: US /ɡroʊθ/, UK /ɡrəʊθ/, AU /ɡrəʊθ/.
Common errors: 1) devoicing the final /θ/ into /f/ or /s/ sounds; keep the voiceless dental fricative /θ/ with tongue tip between upper and lower teeth. 2) Reducing /roʊ/ to a quick schwa or a clipped /rə/—aim for a smooth diphthong /roʊ/ in US, /rəʊ/ in UK. 3) Dropping the initial consonant or turning it into a /ɡ/ + /w/ sequence; ensure a clean /ɡ/ onset followed by the /roʊ/ or /rəʊ/ glide.
In US English, growth is /ɡroʊθ/ with a clear /roʊ/ diphthong and a strong /θ/ at the end. UK English often renders it /ɡrəʊθ/, with a more centralized /ə/ before the /ʊ/ value in some dialects and a slightly longer /əʊ/ onset vowel. Australian English generally mirrors /ɡrəʊθ/ or /ɡroʊθ/ depending on region, with comparatively less rhoticity than US. Note the final /θ/ remains a voiceless dental fricative in all, so do not substitute /f/.
The difficulty lies in the rapid transition from a rounded back vowel into a dental fricative, ending with a delicate /θ/ sound. The /roʊ/ or /rəʊ/ diphthong requires precise lip rounding and jaw movement, while the /θ/ demands the tongue tip at the teeth edge and a crisp, steady airflow. This combination can be tricky for non-native speakers who merge /θ/ with /f/ or /t/ or who shorten /roʊ/ to /r/ or /əʊ/ to /oʊ/.
A notable edge case is stressing the word when used in contrastive contexts: you might voice the /oʊ/ more fully or linger before the final /θ/ to emphasize growth over stagnation. Focus on keeping the final /θ/ distinct, not reducing it to a dental stop. If comfortable, practice the sequence /ɡ/ + /roʊ/ + /θ/ in a single breath to maintain fluidity and avoid a pause that can disrupt perceived growth.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "growth"!
- Shadowing: listen to two native speakers saying /ɡroʊθ/ and /ɡrəʊθ/; imitate with 1-second lag, focusing on the transition from /ɡ/ to /roʊ/ and the /θ/ onset. - Minimal pairs: test /roʊθ/ vs /roʊt/ (growth vs growth with t? but minimal pairs with other words: /roʊθ/ vs /roʊs/, /groʊθ/ vs /groʊt/). - Rhythm practice: say 4-beat rhythm: growth, growth, growth, growth, with emphasis on the first syllable-like? It’s one syllable; practice with sentence-level rhythm: “That growth is steady.” - Stress and intonation: in contrastive contexts, place slight emphasis on the word and use a higher pitch to signify importance. - Recording: record yourself saying growth in sentences, compare to native samples on Forvo or YouGlish; adjust /θ/ tip placement and the /roʊ/ quality accordingly.
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