2 syllables: Hea, thens. Stress on Hea.
HEE-thuhnz
/ˈhiːðənz/
Heathens is pronounced HEE-thuhnz (/ˈhiːðənz/). It has two syllables (Hea-thens), with the stress on "Hea". Heathens is a plural noun meaning people who do not belong to a widely held religion or who are regarded as immoral or unorthodox by a particular group. It can also refer to outsiders or nonconformists in general. In context, it often carries a pejorative or informal sense and appears in discussions of culture, religion, and social norms.
nounHeathens is a plural noun meaning people who do not belong to a widely held religion or who are regarded as immoral or unorthodox by a particular group. It can also refer to outsiders or nonconformists in general. In context, it often carries a pejorative or informal sense and appears in discussions of culture, religion, and social norms.
- Common phonetic challenge: substituting /θ/ with /t/ or /s/. Correction: place tongue tip gently behind upper teeth and blow air; practice with 'three thin things' to build memory of the dental fricative. - Second challenge: reducing or overpronouncing the second syllable; correction: keep /ən/ as a quick, neutral schwa and finish with a crisp /z/. - Final cluster: ensure the ending /nz/ is not two syllables; practice a quick /n/ into a final /z/ without a vowel between.
How to Pronounce Heathens
"The singer warned that the crowd would be labeled heathens by the critics."
"As outsiders, the band embraced their status as heathens in a surprising move to challenge norms."
"Some politicians labeled the protesters as heathens to paint them as unpatriotic."
Pronounce it as /ˈhiː.θənz/. Start with a long /i:/ as in 'he' (high) but shorter, then the dental fricative /θ/ (tongue tip to upper teeth, blowing air). The second syllable has a schwa-like /ə/ with a light, unstressed vowel, followed by a voiced /z/ or /n/? Actually it ends with /nz/: /ənz/, so a quick /n/ then /z/. Emphasize the first syllable. Audio reference: you can hear it on Pronounce or Forvo; try saying “HEE-thunz” with a light rime.”,
Two common errors: 1) Replacing /θ/ with /s/ or /f/ (saying 'HEE-sens' or 'HEE-fens'); correct with tongue between teeth and breathy release. 2) Overemphasizing the second syllable or turning /ənz/ into /ənzɪ/ or '/ənz/' with extra vowel. Practice by isolating /θ/ via 'three thin teeth' exercise, then glide into /ənz/ quickly. 3) Not reducing the second syllable; keep a quick, unstressed /ən/ before the final /z/.
US, UK, and AU share /ˈhiː.θənz/ but the /θ/ may be realized with a stronger dental contact in British English; some US speakers may have a lighter /θ/ or substitute with /f/ or /v/ rarely. AU usually similar to US but with less rhoticity influence; the final z often a clear /z/ with slight vowel reduction before it. The main differences lie in vowel length of /iː/ and the fluency of /θ/.
The primary challenge is the dental fricative /θ/ which many speakers substitute. Tongue placement—tip between upper and lower front teeth—requires practice to sustain airflow while not causing lisping. Additionally, the /ənz/ cluster demands a brief, unstressed mid-vowel before a voiced /z/. Mispronunciations often involve replacing /θ/ with /s/ or /t/ or misplacing the /z/ after an overly pitched syllable. Listening and mimicking native audio helps fix this.
Heathens has primary stress on the first syllable: HEA-thenz. The second syllable is unstressed /ən/ with a light schwa. This is typical of many two-syllable English nouns where the first syllable carries the emphasis while the second is reduced. Failing to stress the first syllable or over-stressing the second changes natural rhythm and can make you sound uncertain. IPA guide: /ˈhiː.θənz/.
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- US: /ˈhiː.θənz/ with a relatively pure /iː/ and aspirated /θ/. Rhoticity affects neighboring vowels; ensure nonrhotic? In US, rhoticity appears with surrounding vowels; keep /ɚ/ absent in 'Heathens'. - UK: /ˈhiː.θənz/ with slightly tighter jaw and crisper /θ/. Some speakers may have a more clipped /iː/ and less vowel reduction. - AU: /ˈhiː.θənz/, similar to US, but sometimes lighter vowel length; watch for a more relaxed /θ/ and a slightly lowered final /z/ due to vowel-consonant blending. IPA references: /ˈhiː.θənz/ across dialects with minor vowel length differences.
Heathens comes from Old English haþen (heathen) and later haþen or haþene, derived from Proto-Germanic haþeno-, related to haþu meaning ‘heath, heathland’ and by extension ‘the dwellers of the heath’ as a descriptor for people living outside Christianized areas. The term aggregated into Middle English as haþene and evolved to heathen in the sense of “country dweller” or “non-Christian person.” In early modern usage, heathen carried a pejorative sense of “unbeliever” and was often employed by Christians to categorize nonconformists or foreign religious groups. By the 18th and 19th centuries, heathen broadened to refer to non-adherents of a religion in general, often with connotations of barbarism or superstition, though in contemporary usage it can be reclaimed or used descriptively in secular discourse. First known use in English dates to before the 12th century, with clear attestation in the context of Christian–pagan distinctions in medieval sources. Modern usage retains a cultural or historical flavor, sometimes appearing in music, pop culture, and critical discourse on orthodoxy and belonging.
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Words that rhyme with "Heathens"
-ens sounds
-n's sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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