Honours refers to a distinction or recognition of achievement, often in academic contexts, or to the formal respect shown to someone or something. In British usage it also denotes a degree with honours. The term conveys prestige, merit, and sometimes ceremonial status, and it appears in phrases like “with honours” or “in honour of.” It is pronounced with an initial stress on the first syllable and ends with a voiced final consonant in most accents.
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"She earned top honours in biology after four years of study."
"The ceremony was held to confer honours on outstanding contributors."
"They named the bridge in honour of the town founder."
"He received honours for his contributions to literature and culture."
Honours comes from the Old French honur or anciennement honneur, from Latin honorem (nominative honos; honor). The word entered English through Norman French, aligned with the notion of esteem and public recognition. Historically, “honour” denoted moral integrity and the social prerogative of upholding reputational standards. In medieval and early modern England, honours encompassed ceremonial privileges, estates, and chivalric status, evolving into two primary domains: social respect and academic achievement. The spelling variation with -ours reflects British English conventions; American English often uses “honor” for the same idea, while the plural “honours” typically appears in British Commonwealth contexts. The first known uses of the term in English literature appear in Middle English texts, with evolving senses tied to prestige, privilege, and ceremonial recognition. By the 18th and 19th centuries, the phrase “with honours” had become a standard formulation in higher education for degree classifications (e.g., first-class honours), shaping contemporary usage in academia and public life. Today, “honours” functions across formal contexts—from degrees (“with honours”) to commemorative dedications (“in honour of”)—maintaining its core sense of esteem and distinction, while its spelling variant marks regional linguistic tradition.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "honours" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "honours" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "honours"
-urs sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈɒnərz/ in British English and /ˈɑːnərz/ in American English variants, with the second syllable sounding like “ners.” Stress is on the first syllable. Begin with a short, open back unrounded vowel for the first syllable, then a schwa or reduced vowel for the second, and end with a voiced alveolar sibilant. In practice: HOH-nərz, with the r-colored vowel depending on your accent. You can listen to native pronouncers on Pronounce and Forvo for precise mouth positions.
Common errors include pronouncing the second syllable as a full ‘or’ instead of a schwa-based “nər” (/ˈɒnərz/ vs /ˈɒnɔːrz/ in some accents) and overemphasizing the final plural /z/ that can blur with /s/. Also, speakers may reduce the first syllable too much, saying a weak ‘ha’ instead of ‘hon-’. Correct by aiming for a clear first syllable with a short vowel, then a near-schwa /ə/ before the final /z/. Practice with minimal pairs like /ˈɒn.əz/ vs /ˈɒn.ərz/.
In UK English, /ˈɒn.əz/ with a short o and a clear schwa in the second syllable; non-rhoticity means the final 'r' is not pronounced. In US English, /ˈɑːnɚz/ with a rhotacized second syllable; the r becomes a pronounced postvocalic /ɚ/. Australian English is closer to UK but often with a slightly higher vowel height in the first syllable and a clearly reduced second syllable, typically /ˈɒn.əz/ or /ˈɒn.əz/. Ensure you listen to regional cues and adjust mouth shape accordingly.
The difficulty lies in the syllable boundary and the reduced second syllable. The first syllable /ˈɒn/ or /ˈɑːn/ requires a concise, rounded vowel that differs from many common words, then the second syllable collapses to a schwa-like /ə/ before the final /z/. The blend of a short vowel and a voiced z can make the word sound clipped or overly elongated if the schwa is skipped. Focus on keeping the second syllable light and quick.
Stress is on the first syllable: HON-ours. The second syllable reduces to a light /ər/ or /ə/ sound, depending on accent, with the final voiced /z/ consonant. The tricky part is maintaining a clean separation between the vowel in the first syllable and the reduced second syllable, avoiding a heavy, full vowel in the second syllable that would shift the word’s rhythm. Mouth posture should stay relaxed through the second syllable.
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