3 syllables: head, quar, ters. Stress on head.
HED-kwawr-turz
/ˈhɛdˌkwɔɹtɚz/
headquarters is pronounced HED-kwawr-turz (/ˈhɛdˌkwɔɹtɚz/). It has three syllables (head-quar-ters), with the stress on "head". Headquarters refers to the main office or center of operations for an organization, often housed in a single building or campus. It denotes the primary locus of authority and decision-making. The term can also describe the location from which a group coordinates its activities globally or regionally.
Headquarters refers to the main office or center of operations for an organization, often housed in a single building or campus. It denotes the primary locus of authority and decision-making. The term can also describe the location from which a group coordinates its activities globally or regionally.
"The company's headquarters are relocating to a larger facility downtown."
"From the headquarters, the CEO oversees global operations."
"Security briefings will be held at the headquarters this morning."
Say it as /ˈhɛdˌkwɔːrtərz/ in US/UK/AU variants, with primary stress on the first syllable HEAd and secondary on the second syllable KWAR. Start with the short E in head, move to the rounded, back vowel in quart as in "court," then end with -erz sounded like a quick -erz. In casual speech you’ll often hear the final -s assimilate to /-əz/ when preceding a consonant, but careful enunciation keeps it /-ərz/. Listen for the two-spot rhythm: HEAD-kwor-ters.”,
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress by saying HEAd-KWOR-terz without a clear secondary stress on KWOR; 2) Flattening /ɔːr/ to a dull /ɔ/ or /ɑ/ in the /kwɔːr/ segment, making it sound like ‘kwat-’ rather than ‘kwor-’; 3) Final -ters reduced to /təz/ or /tərz/ without the /r/ rhotic cue in rhotic accents. Correction: emphasize the /d/ following head, curl the tongue for /kwɔːr/, then release with a clear /tərz/ or /təz/ depending on accent. Practicing in chunks helps: HEAD-kwor-tərz.”,
In US and UK, the core is /ˈhɛdˌkwɔːrtərz/ with rhotics influencing the /r/ in -ter-; US tends to a clearer rhotic /˞r/ and maybe longer /ɔːr/ in some speakers. UK often reduces the /r/ after a vowel in non-rhotic contexts, yielding a slightly softer /təz/ unless linking. Australian tends toward a nearer /ˈhedˌkwɔːˑtəz/ with a less pronounced final /z/, vowel qualities depending on regional variety. Across all, keep the /kw/ cluster tight and the /ɔːr/ rounded but not overextended.”,
It challenges you with the consonant cluster /dkw/ in the middle, the long back vowel /ɔː/ in /kwɔːr/ and the final /tərz/ sequence, which can blur into /təz/ or /tə/. Additionally, the plural -s adds an extra sibilant that can blur with the preceding vowel. Focus on a clean /d/ release into /kw/, then a clear /ɔːr/ before the alveolar /t/ plus a precise rhotic- or non-rhotic ending, depending on accent.”,
A notable feature is the distinct /kw/ onset in the middle of the word and the rhoticity of -er- sequences in rhotic speakers. The /ɔːr/ diphthongization in /kwɔːr/ stands out, and the final /z/ (or /s/ depending on context) links to plural morphology while remaining distinct from the preceding /t/. Practicing the two primary vowels, /ɛ/ and /ɔː/, in close proximity helps stabilize the ear for rapid speech.”,
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US: rhotic /r/ after vowels; UK: non-rhotic tendency; AU: variable rhoticity but often pronounced with a clear /r/ in careful speech. Vowel differences: US tends to /ɛ/ as in head; UK can be closer to /e/ in some regions; AU often moves toward a broader /ɔː/ for /ɔːr/. Consonants: ensure /d/ and /k/ are crisp; /t/ can be flapped in casual US speech, but in careful speech keep it alveolar. IPA references: US /ˈhɛdˌkwɔːrtərz/, UK /ˈhedˌkwɔːtəz/, AU /ˈhedˌkwɔːtəz/.
Headquarters combines head (from Old English heafod) meaning the top or chief part, with quarters (from Old French quatier, based on Latin quartarius, meaning a place of residence or lodgings). The phrase originally appeared in military contexts, designating the location where the commander’s staff gathered. Over time, it broadened to civilian usage, signifying the main office or central hub of any organization. The term embeds a sense of central authority and strategic control, paralleling other compound formations like “head office.” First known uses appear in English military records of the 17th century, gradually expanding through business and government to denote the central seat of operations rather than merely the geographic head. Today, “headquarters” is treated as a plural noun in form when referring to multiple main offices, though it is often used in the singular sense when describing a single central facility. Modern usage retains the sense of centralized command while also signaling locality, as in phrases like “the company’s global headquarters.”
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Words that rhyme with "headquarters"
-ers sounds
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