3 syllables: In, ter, prets. Stress on ter.
in-TUR-pruhts
/ˌɪˈntɝpɹəts/
Interprets is pronounced in-TUR-pruhts (/ˌɪˈntɝpɹəts/). It has three syllables (In-ter-prets), with the stress on "ter". Interprets is a verb meaning to explain the meaning of something, translate, or draw out implications from information. In usage, it often describes someone who analyzes data or events and expresses an understandable explanation or conclusion. It can also mean to perform the act of interpreting in a specific context, such as language translation or data analysis.
verbInterprets is a verb meaning to explain the meaning of something, translate, or draw out implications from information. In usage, it often describes someone who analyzes data or events and expresses an understandable explanation or conclusion. It can also mean to perform the act of interpreting in a specific context, such as language translation or data analysis.
- You may tilt toward a quick, slurred /t/ before the final /s/, producing a run-together sound; slow down and crisp the /t/ so it clearly releases into /s/. - The second syllable can be reduced to a schwa in rapid speech; keep a realized /ɚ/ or /ə/ to retain rhythm and prevent confusion with other words like 'interpet' (which is a different form). - The final consonant cluster /ts/ often becomes a simple /t/ or /s/ for many non-native speakers; practice releasing a strong /t/ then immediately voicing /s/ with a light breath release.
"The analyst interprets the data to identify trends and outliers."
"She interprets the poem's imagery to reveal its themes."
"The tour guide interprets local customs for visitors."
Pronounce it as in-tur-PRATES, with primary stress on the second-to-last syllable. IPA US: /ˌɪn.tɚˈprɛts/; UK/AU: /ɪn.təˈprɛts/. Start with a short, lax 'i' sound, then a schwa in the second syllable, ending with a precise /prɛts/ cluster where your lips start rounded for the /ɹ/ and then release into /ɛ/ and /ts/. Visualize a quick kick of air on the final /t/ combined with /s/.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (placing emphasis on the first syllable), mispronouncing the /ɹ/ as a rolled or tapped r, and turning the final /ts/ into /s/ or /t/. Another frequent issue is a reduced vowel in the second syllable, producing /ɪn.tərˈpɹɛts/ instead of /ˌɪn.tɚˈprɛts/. To correct: keep a clear secondary stress on the second-to-last syllable, practice the /ɹ/ by lifting the tip of the tongue toward the alveolar ridge without flipping, and end with a crisp /ts/ by lightly voicing the /t/ before releasing into /s/.
In US English, stress is on the second-to-last syllable with a rhotic /ɹ/ in the second syllable and a clear /ɪ/ in the first. UK English tends to have a shorter, clipped second vowel and a non-rhotic or mildly rhotic sound with less emphasis on linking vowels. Australian English mirrors UK with non-rhotic tendencies but often a broader, flatter vowel in the first syllable and a stronger final /ts/ than some UK speakers. IPA references: US /ˌɪn.tɚˈprɛts/, UK /ɪn.təˈprɛts/, AU /ɪn.təˈprɛts/.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster at the end /prɛts/ and the final /ts/ sequence, which requires precise timing to avoid a swollen vowel before the /t/ and a swallowed /s/. The mid vowel in /tɚ/ can be tricky for non-rhotic speakers, and the “er” versus “e” vowel quality shift can lead to mispronunciation of the second syllable. Practicing with minimal pairs and recording helps monitor aspiration and timing of the final cluster.
There are no silent letters in 'interprets'. Every letter contributes to one of the sounds: /ɪ/, /n/, /t/, /ɚ/ or /ɜː/ depending on accent, /ˈprɛts/. The second syllable contains a schwa-like vowel in many accents, but it is not silent; you should relax the jaw and let the vowel remain audible to preserve the word’s rhythm and clarity.
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- US: Maintain a rhotic /ɹ/ in the second syllable and tighter vowel quality in the first; emphasize the /ˌɪn.tɚ/ portion. - UK: Slightly lighter /ˈt/ release, non-rhotic in some speakers, but keep the /prɛts/ intact with clear /t/ and /s/; avoid over-aspiration. - AU: Similar to UK with broader, less tense vowels; keep the second syllable relaxed and the final /ts/ crisp but not overemphasized. IPA references help: US /ˌɪn.tɚˈprɛts/, UK /ɪn.təˈprɛts/, AU /ɪn.təˈprɛts/.
Interprets derives from the verb interpret, which comes from Latin interpretāre, meaning to explain, elucidate, or translate. The Latin interpretārē involved the idea of “explain, translate, or infer.” This root passed into Old French as interpréter, with similar meanings related to explanation and translation, and then into English in the 14th–15th centuries via Middle English forms such as interpreten. The word maintained a broad sense of making sense of information, data, events, or language, and by the 16th–18th centuries expanded into more specialized uses, including interpretation of dreams, laws, and texts. In modern English, interpret is common across academic, linguistic, analytical, and artistic contexts, with interprets as the third-person singular present tense. The semantic domain has steadily shifted toward analytical, evaluative, and translation-oriented senses, while retaining the core idea of conveying meaning from one set of symbols or data to another through explanation or translation.
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Words that rhyme with "Interprets"
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