3 syllables: Hyp, no, sis. Stress on no.
hip-NOH-suhs
/hɪˈpnoʊsəs/
Hypnosis is pronounced hip-NOH-suhs (/hɪˈpnoʊsəs/). It has three syllables (Hyp-no-sis), with the stress on "no". Hypnosis is the state of focused attention and heightened suggestion in which a person may be more open to guidance. It involves a trance-like concentration that can be voluntarily induced or guided by another person, typically for therapeutic or entertainment purposes. The term also refers to the practice or technique of inducing this state and the profession surrounding it.
nounHypnosis is the state of focused attention and heightened suggestion in which a person may be more open to guidance. It involves a trance-like concentration that can be voluntarily induced or guided by another person, typically for therapeutic or entertainment purposes. The term also refers to the practice or technique of inducing this state and the profession surrounding it.
"The stage performer used hypnosis to guide volunteers into a relaxed, trance-like state."
"Clinical hypnosis can assist with pain management or anxiety when conducted by a trained professional."
"Researchers study hypnosis as a model of attention and suggestion in cognitive science."
Hypnosis is pronounced /hɪpˈnoʊ.sɪs/ in US English and /hɪpˈnəʊ.sɪs/ in UK English; Australian typically /hɪpˈnə.sɪs/. The primary stress lands on the second syllable: hyp-NO-sis. Start with a short 'h' breath, then 'ih' as in sit, followed by the stressed 'noh' or 'nəʊ', then a quick 'sis' with a short, clipped final s. Practice by saying ‘hi-PNO-sis’ with even, deliberate vowels and a crisp final 's'.”
Common errors include misplacing the primary stress (saying hi-PNO-sis) and mispronouncing the second syllable as a hard long 'oh' with a trailing 'sis'. Another frequent mistake is turning the final -sis into an extra syllable or a dull, reduced vowel (hɪpˈnɒ.sɪs). Correct by emphasizing /noʊ/ or /nəʊ/ and keeping the final /s/ crisp. Practice the voiced/voiceless contrast in the middle consonant cluster and avoid a reduced vowel in the second syllable.”
In US English, /hɪpˈnoʊ.sɪs/ features a clear /oʊ/ in the second syllable and rhoticity affects the surrounding vowels slightly. UK English uses /hɪpˈnəʊ.sɪs/ with a shorter, closer second syllable vowel and less rhotic influence; Australian typically /hɪpˈnə.sɪs/ with a flatter, reduced second syllable and non-rhotic tendencies in rapid speech. Across all, the main stress remains on the second syllable, but vowel quality and vowel length can shift subtly by dialect.”
The difficulty lies in the mid-stressed syllable and the vowel transition: the /noʊ/ or /nəʊ/ sequence requires shifting from a lax front vowel to a tense mid-back vowel quickly, which can blur in fast speech. Additionally, the second syllable’s unstressed vowel in some speakers becomes reduced or centralized, making it sound less distinct. Mastery comes from isolating the /n/ + /oʊ/ (or /nəʊ/) sequence and ensuring the final /sɪs/ is crisp.
No. In hypnosis, the primary stress is on the second syllable: hyp-NO-sis. The 'hypno' prefix remains unstressed relative to the nucleus 'no' in most English varieties. Focus on vocal clarity in the vowel of the second syllable, /noʊ/ or /nəʊ/, and keep the following /sɪs/ light and quick to avoid a drawn-out ending.
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US: rhotic pronunciation with clear /r/ only in surrounding words; UK: shorter mid-vowel /nəʊ/ with non-rhotic influence; AU: reduced vowel in the second syllable, less tense than US; all share primary stress on the second syllable. Vowel details: /ɪ/ in first syllable, /noʊ/ or /nəʊ/ in second; final /sɪs/ remains unstressed. IPA references help: US /hɪpˈnoʊ.sɪs/, UK /hɪpˈnəʊ.sɪs/, AU /hɪpˈnə.sɪs/. Practice by isolating each vowel, then blending.
Hypnosis derives from the Greek word hypnos, meaning sleep, with the suffix -osis indicating a process or state. The term was popularized in the 19th century by the Vienna physician Franz Mesmer’s concept of animal magnetism, though modern usage clarifies it as a trance-like state rather than true sleep. The root hypn- is reinforced in English by the influential early 19th century work of James Braid, who coined the term ‘neuro-hypnotism’ and later simplified it to hypnosis. Over time, the word evolved from a general suggestion-based phenomenon to denote a formal therapeutic technique and clinical method. First known use in English traces to the 1840s-1850s as part of discussions surrounding Mesmerism and the emerging study of trance states, with rapid adoption in psychology and psychiatry, and later popular media usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Hypnosis"
-sis sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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