2 syllables: im, prints. Stress on prints.
im-PRINTS
/ˌɪmˈpɹɪnts/
imprints is pronounced im-PRINTS (/ˌɪmˈpɹɪnts/). It has two syllables (im-prints), with the stress on "prints". Imprints refers to the marks or patterns left by something pressing onto a surface, or the lasting effects of an action or influence. In plural form, it often describes multiple such marks or legacies, and can also function metaphorically to denote enduring impressions in memory or culture. The word combines the verb imprint with the plural suffix -s, typically used in plural noun or verb contexts depending on sentence structure.
Imprints refers to the marks or patterns left by something pressing onto a surface, or the lasting effects of an action or influence. In plural form, it often describes multiple such marks or legacies, and can also function metaphorically to denote enduring impressions in memory or culture. The word combines the verb imprint with the plural suffix -s, typically used in plural noun or verb contexts depending on sentence structure.
"The fossil imprints on the clay revealed ancient life forms."
"Her mind bears the imprints of years of travel and study."
"The painter’s fingerprints left faint imprints on the canvas."
Pronounce as /ɪmˈprɪnts/ in US and UK; the stress falls on the second syllable. The first syllable is reduced to a quick /ɪm/ and the second syllable carries the primary stress with a crisp /prɪnts/ ending. For clarity, ensure the /n/ and /t/ are distinct; avoid linking them into /nmɪnts/. An audio cue: imagine stressing the 'pr' cluster: im- + PRINTS, with a light 'i' in the first syllable.
Two common errors: (1) misplacing the stress, saying /ɪmˈprɪnts/ correctly but slurring the /n/ and /t/ into a /nt/ cluster too softly. (2) Replacing /ɪ/ in the first syllable with a clearer /i:/, resulting in /iˈprɪnts/. Correction: keep the first syllable unstressed as /ɪm/ and articulate the /prɪnts/ with a short, crisp /ɪ/ in the second syllable and a clear alveolar stop at /t/ before the final /s/.
US/UK/AU share /ɪmˈprɪnts/ but vowel reduction and rhoticity affect surrounding sounds. US and UK typically pronounce the /ɪ/ in the first syllable as a short lax vowel; AU often maintains a non-rhotic pattern in careful speech. The /r/ is not pronounced in non-rhotic accents when preceding a consonant, but here it’s not intrusive. Focus on crisp /p r ɪ nts/ with a clear stop after /p/ and final /s/.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster at the end: /prɪnts/ with a rapid transition from /pr/ into /ɪ/ and the final /nts/. Non-native speakers often mispronounce the /t/ as a flap or omit the /t/ entirely, turning it into /ˈɪmprɪnts/ or /ɪmˈprɪnts/. Also, sustaining the final /s/ without voicing can be tricky in connected speech. Practice the tight tongue position for /t/ and the alveolar sibilant /s/ to land a crisp end.
The unique feature is the two-consonant onset /pr/ in the stressed second syllable and the rapid, unvoiced /nts/ ending. Keep the second syllable’s /prɪnts/ crisp: stop release on /p/, lift quickly into /r/ (or the non-rhotic equivalent), then a clean /ɪ/ before the /nts/. The stress pattern is crucial to convey the plural verb-noun distinction in sentences.
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Imprints derives from the verb imprint, which itself comes from the late 14th century imprinten (to press a figure into a material) from Old French imprimer (to impress, print) and Latin imprimere (to press in, to stamp). The noun sense of a mark or trace dates from the 17th century, evolving from the literal impression left by stamping to metaphorical uses such as imprint on memory or culture. The word structure includes the prefix im- (in, onto) and the root print (from Latin primere ‘to press a mark, stamp’), with the familiar plural suffix -s. The semantic expansion—from a physical mark to a lasting influence—parallels other words like imprint and impression, reflecting a shift from tangible to abstract domains in modern usage. First known uses commonly appear in contexts discussing physical impressions in archaeology, printing, or manufacturing, later broadening to psychology and sociology as a metaphor for lasting impact. Today, imprints is used both in concrete senses (e.g., fossil imprints) and abstract senses (e.g., cultural imprints).
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Words that rhyme with "imprints"
-nts sounds
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