3 syllables: Im, age, s. Stress on Im.
IM-uh-juhz
/ˈɪmədʒəz/
Images is pronounced IM-uh-juhz (/ˈɪmədʒəz/). It has three syllables (Im-age-s), with the stress on "Im". Images (n.) refers to mental pictures or representations created by the mind, often triggered by perception or memory. In photography and media contexts, it denotes still or moving pictures. The term encompasses both individual frames and collective imagery, and is frequently used in discussions of visual culture, design, or information presentation.
nounImages (n.) refers to mental pictures or representations created by the mind, often triggered by perception or memory. In photography and media contexts, it denotes still or moving pictures. The term encompasses both individual frames and collective imagery, and is frequently used in discussions of visual culture, design, or information presentation.
- You may overextend the second syllable, pronouncing it as IM-i-geez; keep the second syllable shortened and unstressed. - You might mispronounce the middle /dʒ/ as /d/ or /ʒ/; aim for a clean palatal affricate beginning with a slight tongue elevation. - Final -es can turn into a longer /ɪz/ or a plain /z/; aim for a short, crisp /ɪz/ and avoid trailing sounds. - When speaking quickly, might drop syllables; keep a strong first syllable and a quick but clear second syllable to maintain integrity.
How to Pronounce Images
"The museum exhibit featured evocative images from the 19th century."
"She studied the images closely to infer the artist's intent."
"The marketing report analyzed social media images for engagement patterns."
In standard English, images is pronounced /ˈɪ.mɪ.dʒɪz/ in US English, with a two-syllable rhythm: IM-uh-jeez, where the first syllable has a short 'i' as in 'kit,' and the second is a reduced 'uh' before the voiced 'jiz.' The initial stress falls on the first syllable. For UK/other varieties you may hear /ˈɪ.mæ.dʒɪz/ or /ˈɪ.mɪ.dʒɪz/, but the typical form remains two syllables with primary stress on the first. Listen for the /dʒ/ as the 'j' in 'judge,' not a separate 'j' sound. When speaking quickly, you may reduce the second syllable slightly, but keep /ˈɪ/ strongly on the first vowel.
Common errors include emphasizing the second syllable as in 'IM-uh-ges' or turning the /dʒ/ into a plain /z/ or /j/ sound. To correct: keep the primary stress on the first syllable (/ˈ/), merge the middle /m/ and /dʒ/ into a smooth /mɪdʒ/ without a heavy break, and ensure the final /ɪz/ is clear but not stretched. Practicing with minimal pairs like 'images—emages' helps hear the /dʒ/ blend; use a light mouth closure for /dʒ/ and avoid vowel lengthening in the second syllable.
In US English, pronunciation tends to be /ˈɪmɪdʒɪz/ with a short first vowel and a crisp /dʒ/. UK speakers may produce /ˈɪmɒdʒɪz/ or /ˈɪmɪdʒɪz/ with a shorter, more open first vowel and less rhoticity impact. Australian English often keeps /ˈɪmɒdʒɪz/ or a near /ˈɪmɪdʒɪz/, with vowel quality shifting toward more centralized or rounded qualities depending on the speaker. In all cases, the /dʒ/ remains a single palatal affricate; rhoticity mainly affects surrounding vowels in connected speech.
The difficulty lies in the cluster /mɪdʒ/ which blends /m/ + /dʒ/ smoothly, and in maintaining the first-syllable stress when fast or fluent speech is required. The presence of a voiced palatal affricate /dʒ/ after a nasal complicates coarticulation with the preceding /m/. Speakers coming from non-rhotic backgrounds may also reduce the final -s in rapid speech, sounding like /-ɪz/ vs /-ɪz/; attention to mouth position during the /dʒ/ transition helps clarity.
A word-specific nuance is that the first syllable carries the primary stress, and the vowel in the first syllable remains a short 'i' sound rather than a tense vowel. The /ɪ/ in the second syllable is reduced slightly in fast speech, but the final -es remains as /ɪz/ rather than a /z/ alone. This balance keeps the word recognizable in both careful and casual speech.
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US: /ˈɪ.mɪ.dʒɪz/ with a robust initial /ɪ/ and brighter /dʒ/; non-rhoticity is not a factor here. UK: /ˈɪ.mɒ.dʒɪz/; the first vowel can be more open, and /ɒ/ is common in Southern British English. AU: /ˈɪ.mɒ.dʒɪz/ or /ˈɪ.mɪ.dʒɪz/; vowel quality varies with region; the /dʒ/ remains the same. Across accents, the /ɪ/ in the second syllable may be reduced. IPA references help verify vowels and consonants. For practice, record across accents and compare intonation patterns.
Images comes from the late Latin imago, meaning ‘likeness’ or ‘copy,’ from the Proto-Italic *imagi- within *imāgo. The word imago itself derives from the Latin word for ‘image, likeness, statue,’ linked to syllables related to “to imitate” and “form.” In Latin, imāgin-, -ō, -ō were used to derive imago and imāgō, with early scientific, religious, and artistic uses in medieval and Renaissance Latin. By the 16th century, English borrowed image under the influence of French imag (via Old French image), evolving to refer not only to a visual likeness but also to mental pictures, representations, and symbolic forms. In modern English, image broadened to include digital representations, icons, and a mental construct or stereotype of a person or thing. The plural form images reflects standard English pluralization of words ending in -age or -es rather than a vowel change, consolidating the sense of multiple pictures or representations across media.
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Words that rhyme with "Images"
-mes sounds
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