4 syllables: In, tu, i, tion. Stress on i.
in-too-ISH-uhn
/ˌɪntuˈɪʃən/
Intuition is pronounced in-too-ISH-uhn (/ˌɪntuˈɪʃən/). It has four syllables (In-tu-i-tion), with the stress on "i". Intuition is the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. It refers to a natural, instinctive sense of what is true or likely, often guiding decisions or judgments. This noun emphasizes internal perception over deliberate analysis, sometimes described as a 'gut feeling' that arises from experience and subconscious processing.
nounIntuition is the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. It refers to a natural, instinctive sense of what is true or likely, often guiding decisions or judgments. This noun emphasizes internal perception over deliberate analysis, sometimes described as a 'gut feeling' that arises from experience and subconscious processing.
How to Pronounce Intuition
"Her intuition told her that the deal wouldn’t go through, even though the numbers looked fine."
"In medicine, clinicians rely on intuition, developed through years of practice, to recognize subtle signs."
"The artist trusted her intuition and abandoned the plan, allowing spontaneity to shape the work."
Intuition is pronounced /ˌɪn.tuˈɪʃ.ən/ in US and /ˌɪn.tjuːˈɪʃ.ən/ in UK; Australia often mirrors US/UK patterns. The stress falls on the third syllable: in-TU-i-tion. Start with a light 'in' /ɪn/, then /t/ + a strong /juː/ or /uː/ glide for the 'tu' part, followed by /ɪʃ/ and a final schwa /ən/. Ensure the 'ti' before '-tion' carries the 'sh' sound, not a hard 't' or 's'.
Common errors include turning the stressed vowel into a short, flat sound in the second syllable (reducing /tuː/ to /t/ or /tə/), and misplacing the primary stress (trying to stress on the second or first syllable). Another mistake is pronouncing the 'tion' as /tʃən/ or overpronouncing the 'ti' as /tiː/. Correct by using /ˌɪn.tjuːˈɪʃ.ən/ or /ˌɪn.tuˈɪʃ.ən/ with a clear glide and /ʃ/ for the 'tion' portion.
In US English, the second syllable often uses /tuː/ or /tjuː/ with a clear 'you' glide, and the final /ən/ reduces quickly. UK English typically features /tj/ as /tjuː/ or /tjə/ with a slightly longer /juː/ and a less rhotic ending. Australian English often aligns with US for the /ˌɪn.tuːˈɪʃ.ən/ pronunciation but may show more rounded vowel quality in the /uː/ and a subtly lighter /ɪ/ in the first syllable. Overall, main differences: rhoticity and vowel length in the 'tu' and the quality of the final /ən/.
Three main challenges: 1) The multisyllabic cluster with a non-initial stress (tu-), requiring a strong mid-vowel glide. 2) The /ɪˈtjuː/ or /ɪˈtuː/ alternation creates a tricky 'tu' with either a /tj/ or /tju/ onset, blending into /ˈɪʃən/. 3) The final /ʃən/ can be easily reduced too much or misarticulated as /tʃən/; aim for /-ʃən/. Focus on a clean /ɪ/ in the first syllable, a precise /t/ before a /juː/ or /ju/ glide, and a soft /ʃən/ at the end.
No. In intuition, the 'ti' contributes a /t/ sound followed by a high-front vowel leading into /ʃ/. The sequence is /tjuːʃ/ or /tɪn/? Actually, it's /tjuːˈɪʃ/ (US) or /tjʊˈɪʃ/ (UK). The 'ti' does not produce /tʃ/; rather, the 'ti' interacts with the following 'on' as /tjuː/. Do not turn it into /tʃ/. Approach: keep the /t/ lightly and introduce the /j/ for the /tu/ segment, then the /ɪʃ/.
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US: rhotic /r/ is not present in this word; focus on the non-rhotic pattern with a stronger diphthong in /tuː/ or /tjuː/. UK: stronger use of /tj/ sequence and longer /juː/ in the second syllable; AU: similar to US but with slight rounding in /uː/ and broader vowels. Vowel by vowel: /ɪ/ in the first syllable; /tuː/ or /tjuː/ in the second; /ɪ/ in the third; /ʃən/ at the end. Use IPA references: US /ˌɪnˈtuːˌɪʃən/ vs UK /ˌɪnˈtjuːɪʃən/; AU /ˌɪnˈtjuːɪʃən/. Consonants: keep /t/ crisp, allow a light /j/ or /juː/ glide, not a hard /d/ or /t/. Final /n/ should be alveolar with a relaxed jaw.
Intuition derives from the Latin root intueri, meaning to look at or contemplate, which evolved into the French intuition in the 16th century and then into English in the 17th century. The term originally carried a sense of inner vision or looking within to perceive truth beyond surface appearances. During the Enlightenment and Romantic eras, intuition gained prominence as a counterpoint to rationalism, shaping debates about knowledge, aesthetics, and moral insight. Its modern meaning—an immediate, non-discursive understanding—developed gradually through psychological and epistemological discourse, with thinkers like Kant and later pragmatists contrasting empirical reasoning with tacit, felt knowledge. First known English usage appeared in scholarly or philosophical texts around the 1640s–1680s, evolving through the 18th and 19th centuries as psychology and cognitive science explored subconscious processing and pattern recognition. Today, intuition is used across domains—from everyday decision making to professional expertise—often contrasted with deliberate, analytical thought, yet recognized as a legitimate cognitive resource grounded in experience and rapid internal processing.
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Words that rhyme with "Intuition"
-ion sounds
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