2 syllables: hun, dredths. Stress on hun.
/ˈhʌndɹədθs/
Say it backHundredths is the plural form of hundredth, referring to one part of a hundred, expressed as a decimal or ordinal fraction. It denotes a division into 100 equal parts, typically in mathematics or measurements. The term is commonly used in contexts like statistics, science, and everyday quantification of small quantities.
"The data were analyzed to the nearest hundredth, giving precise averages."
"In the lottery, the ticket numbers were drawn in hundredths of a second during the recording."
"She cut the fabric in hundredths of a meter to ensure accuracy."
You say /ˈhʌn.drədz/ in rapid speech, with primary stress on the first syllable. The middle syllable can be reduced to /drə/ (schwa + r) depending on pace, and the final -ths typically voices as /dz/ when linking in fluent speech. For careful, slowed pronunciation you can articulate as /ˈhʌn.dɹʌdθs/ or /ˈhʌn.dɹədz/ depending on speaker and region. IPA guidance: /ˈhʌn.drədz/ (US/UK), noting that final /d/ can be lenited before a voiced /z/. Audio reference: consult Cambridge/Oxford dictionaries or Forvo for native pronunciations.
Common errors include pronouncing the middle syllable with a full /ʼhʌnˌdrɛdz/ or splitting the word as 'hun-drēdz' where the /ə/ (schwa) is ignored, and mispronouncing the final /dz/ cluster as /t/ or /d/ only. Another frequent slip is treating it like 'hundred' + 'ths' without linking the /r/ and the schwa, or adding an extra syllable, yielding /ˈhʌn.dɹiːdz/. Correction: aim for /ˈhʌn.drədz/ with a weak, unstressed middle vowel and a clear /dz/ final. Practicing with minimal pairs can help solidify the correct syllable reduction.
In US English, you’ll often hear /ˈhʌn.drədz/ with a rhotic r and a reduced middle vowel. UK English tends toward /ˈhʌn.dɜːdz/ or /ˈhʌn.drɪdz/ with a less pronounced rhotic and a more centralized or rounded middle vowel; the final /dz/ remains. Australian English similar to US but can feature a flatter /ɜː/ or /ɪ/ in the second syllable, with final /dz/ as a voiceless or voiced affricate depending on pace. IPA references: US /ˈhʌn.drədz/, UK /ˈhʌn.dɜːdz/; AU approximations /ˈhʌn.dɹɪdz/ or /ˈhʌn.drədz/.
The difficulty comes from the tricky schwa sound in the second syllable and the final cluster /dz/. Learners often over-articulate the middle vowel or insert an extra syllable, producing /ˈhʌnˌdriddz/ or /ˈhʌn.hʌndrədz/. The rapid transition from /n/ to /dr/ across syllables can cause flaps or blends, and the final /dz/ demands precise voicing—especially in fluent speech. Practice with slow, deliberate articulation and progress to natural speed while maintaining the /dr/ sequence and the final /dz/.
The unique challenge is the combination of a light, unstressed second syllable containing the reduced vowel and the trailing /dz/ affricate cluster, which can merge with the preceding /d/ in fluent speech. Unlike many plural -s endings, -ths here must voice or devoice according to surrounding sounds, which can vary by dialect. You’ll benefit from focusing on the interdental fricative context and ensuring the middle syllable carries a clean, reduced vowel to permit a natural /dz/ release.
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Hundredths derives from hundredth, formed from the word hundred + the suffix -th to indicate ordinality or fraction. The root hundred traces to Old English hund, from Proto-Germanic *hundiz, related to Dutch honderd, German hundert. The suffix -th marks ordinal or fractional forms in English, giving hundredth as the standard ordinal form and hundredths as the plural. The shift from singular to plural occurs with the addition of -s to indicate multiple units of the fraction. The term has been in use since Middle English and gained prevalence with mathematical notation and decimal expansions in the Renaissance onward, aligning with broader decimalization in science and commerce. Its usage expanded as precise measurement and statistical reporting demanded explicit hundredth-level accuracy, especially in fields like engineering and data analysis. First known written attestations appear in mathematical texts and grammars from the early modern period, with standardized modern spelling emerging in the 17th-18th centuries as English math vocabulary stabilized. Today, hundredths is a common term in education and professional communication when denoting a two-decimal-place value or a fraction of a percent, maintaining consistent pluralization in instructional and scientific writing.
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Words that rhyme with "hundredths"
-ead sounds
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