3 syllables: ho, li, days. Stress on ho.
/ˈhɑləˌdeɪz/
Say it backHolidays refers to designated days of celebration or time off from work or school, typically a period of rest or travel. The plural form emphasizes multiple occasions or a seasonal break, rather than a single holiday. In everyday use, it often denotes vacation time or public holidays within a year. The term combines the notion of a holy day with leisure or travel connotations.
"We’re taking a two-week holidays to visit family in Europe."
"In many countries, banks close on national holidays."
"She always plans a few holidays during the summer."
Usual pronunciation is /ˈhɒlɪdeɪz/ in UK English and /ˈhɔlɪdeɪz/ in US English; Australian speakers typically say /ˈhɒlɪdeɪz/. The main feature is stress on the first syllable HOL- and a clear /ɪ/ in the second syllable, followed by /deɪz/. In rapid speech you may hear a slight vowel reduction in the second syllable, but the first syllable maintains strong prominence. Mouth position: start with a rounded open back vowel for the first syllable in UK, a slightly more open /ɔ/ in US, end with a clear /deɪz/ where /d/ and /z/ are crisp. Audio reference: you can compare with pronunciation resources like Forvo or YouGlish for regional variations.
Common errors: 1) Stopping the vowel too soon in the first syllable, making it sound like 'holi-dayz' instead of the correct /ˈhɒlɪdeɪz/ or /ˈhɔːlɪdeɪz/. 2) Slurring the /l/ or turning it into a dark l or a vowel substitute; keep a light, clear /l/ between /ɔ/ or /ɒ/ and /ɪ/. 3) Blurring the /deɪ/ into /d/ or /zeɪ/; ensure the diphthong /deɪ/ is intact with a smooth glide from /d/ to /eɪ/. Practice by isolating /ˈhɔl/ or /ˈhɒl/ and then adding /ɪ/ and /deɪz/ in sequence.
US: /ˈhɔlɪdeɪz/ with rhotic /ɹ/ not present in this word; UK: /ˈhɒlɪdeɪz/ with shorter /ɒ/ and clear /l/; AU: /ˈhɒlɪdeɪz/ similar to UK but with Australian vowel qualities; all share stress on first syllable HOL-, final /deɪz/ as a diphthong. Variations mainly involve vowel height and quality of /ɒ/ vs /ɔ/ and the length of /ɒ/ in some speakers. Accent differences can also influence connected speech: /ˈhɒlɪdeɪz/ may sound slightly more centralized in casual speech in AUS.
Key challenges: 1) Maintaining a clear, long first syllable with /ɔ/ or /ɒ/ quality across dialects while keeping the /l/ crisp. 2) Producing the diphthong /deɪ/ smoothly after /lɪ/ and before /z/; the glide should not be lost to a short /dɛz/ or /dez/ mispronunciation. 3) Syllable-timed rhythm in longer phrases can cause the final /z/ to color with voice onset time; focus on a clean /z/ rather than a devoiced or voiceless end.
Some learners ask whether the s in holidays is pronounced as /z/ or /s/ in rapid speech. In careful speech, it is /z/ as in /ˈhɔlɪdeɪz/. In very fast connected speech or carelessness, it can sound like /ˈhɔlɪdez/ or may blur to /-diz/ with reduced final consonant energy. The canonical form keeps the /z/ voiced and clearly aspirated in most dialects.
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Holiday derives from Old English hāligdæg, literally 'holy day,' meaning a day of religious observance or rest. Over time, the meaning broadened to include any special day of celebration or a day off from work. The modern sense in plural form holidays emerged in the Early Modern English period as societies increasingly recognized multiple festive days or extended vacation periods beyond a single holy day. The word hāligdæg itself is a compound of hāl meaning 'holy, healthy' and dæg meaning 'day.' By Middle English, the term began to encompass not just religious observances but seasonal or public observances, and later, the idea of taking time off for travel or leisure became associated with the plural holiday/holidays. First known uses point to religious calendars and feasts, before secular usage for travel and vacation became common in the 18th–19th centuries as tourism and leisure cultures expanded.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "holidays" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "holidays"
-ies sounds
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