3 syllables: her, mi, tage. Stress on her.
HUR-muh-tuhj
/ˈhɝmətədʒ/
hermitage is pronounced HUR-muh-tuhj (/ˈhɝmətədʒ/). It has three syllables (her-mi-tage), with the stress on "her". Hermitage refers to a secluded residence or dwelling, often a retreat for religious or contemplative purposes, and can denote a place where a hermit lives or a collection of artwork and historical objects owned by a noble or wealthy person. It also historically describes a secluded dwelling or retreat, or a country house with grounds. In modern use, it can name a retreat, a small residence, or a museum building in some contexts.
Hermitage refers to a secluded residence or dwelling, often a retreat for religious or contemplative purposes, and can denote a place where a hermit lives or a collection of artwork and historical objects owned by a noble or wealthy person. It also historically describes a secluded dwelling or retreat, or a country house with grounds. In modern use, it can name a retreat, a small residence, or a museum building in some contexts.
"She retreated to a quiet hermitage to write in peace."
"The painter donated his collection to the municipal hermitage museum."
"During winter, the lawyer spent time in a remote hermitage to focus on drafting her novel."
Pronounce as /ˈhɜːr.mɪ.tɪdʒ/ (US) or /ˈhɜː.mɪ.tɪdʒ/ (UK/AU). Stress on the first syllable: HER-mih-tij. The sequence -mɪtɪdʒ ends with the aspirated dʒ sound as in 'j' in 'judge.' You’ll say the two middle vowels clearly: a short /ɪ/ in the second syllable and a short /ɪ/ in the third, with a soft, quick -t- between. For a precise accent cue, think “HER-mih-tij” with a light glide into -dʒ.
Common errors: misplacing stress, saying ‘her-MIH-tage’ or ‘HER-mi-taj’ with a harsh /t/ before the /dʒ/. Another is pronouncing the final /dʒ/ too weak or silent. Correction: keep the primary stress on the first syllable and deliver /tɪdʒ/ as a smooth sequence (t + ɪ + dʒ) without pausing, and allow the /ɜː/ in the first syllable to be rounded briefly. Practicing with slow tempo helps build the correct mouth trajectory.
In US English, /ˈhɜːr.mɪ.tɪdʒ/ with rhotic r; UK/AU may have a slightly shorter /ɜː/ and less rhoticity in some dialects, though most standard pronunciations retain rhotics. Vowel quality in US tends to a longer /ɜːr/ depending on speaker; in non-rhotic UK varieties, the r-sound after the vowel is less pronounced, but with /ˈhɜː.mɪ.tɪdʒ/ the r remains within the syllable. AU generally aligns with UK/US rhotic patterns but can have subtle diphthong shifts.
The difficulty centers on the three-syllable structure with an initial stressed syllable and a final -tɪdʒ, which combines a crisp -t- and the /dʒ/ affricate. The /ɜː/ vowel in stressed syllable can be challenging for learners whose first language lacks a similar mid-central vowel; the /mɪ/ sequence requires a light, quick transition into /tɪdʒ/. Focus on streamlining the /tɪdʒ/ into a smooth affricate cluster.
Does the final -age in hermitage represent a soft /ɪdʒ/ or a harder /dʒ/? In standard practice, the final is /dʒ/ as in 'judge,' not a separate /dz/ or /ɪdʒ/ variant. The sequence is /-tɪdʒ/ with the /t/ blending into the /dʒ/, yielding a smooth affricate. Being mindful of the alveolar placement for /t/ before the palatal /dʒ/ helps avoid a clipped ending and ensures the final syllable glides naturally.
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- US: rhotic r, treat /ɜːr/ as a rhotic vowel; keep the r-coloring. - UK: often non-rhotic in some dialects; but standard Southern UK retains rhoticity in careful speech; focus on /ˈhɜː.mɪ.tɪdʒ/ with a precise /ɜː/ and subtle non-rhotic r. - AU: generally rhotic but with vowel quality shifts; practice the same sequence but with slightly more centralized /ɜː/ and a softer r. IPA anchors: /ˈhɜː.mɪ.tɪdʒ/ across. - Tips: keep jaw relaxed, lips rounded for /ɜː/; the /m/ is bilabial, keep air flow continuous; the /t/ is a light stop before /dʒ/; the /dʒ/ is palatal; practice linking.
Hermitage comes from Middle English hermitage, from Old French hermitaige, from Late Latin eremita geminus hermit- ‘a hermit,’ based on Greek eremites ‘a desert dweller, hermit,’ from eremos ‘desert.’ The term originally referred to a hermit's dwelling or the state of living as a hermit. Over time, it broadened to denote secluded residences and, in some contexts, an estate home or a museum building associated with art or antiquities. Its sense of a secluded, contemplative space remained central, while in British and European contexts it also became a proper noun for certain country houses and their collections. First known use in English dates to the 14th century, evolving in usage through the Renaissance to describe both religious retreats and later stately homes. Today, hermitage retains both the architectural sense (a remote or private dwelling) and the cultural/curatorial sense (a sanctuary for art and history).
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Words that rhyme with "hermitage"
-age sounds
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