3 syllables: ja, ni, tors. Stress on ja.
JAN-uh-turz
/ˈdʒænətɚz/
janitors is pronounced JAN-uh-turz (/ˈdʒænətɚz/). It has three syllables (ja-ni-tors), with the stress on "ja". Janitors are individuals who perform cleaning and maintaining duties in buildings, typically handling tasks like sweeping, mopping, waste management, and restroom upkeep. They may work in commercial, educational, or healthcare facilities. The term emphasizes the role of routine maintenance and upkeep rather than supervisory responsibilities. Pronunciation is notable for the initial soft 'j' sound and the plural suffix that stresses the first syllable and the ending.
Janitors are individuals who perform cleaning and maintaining duties in buildings, typically handling tasks like sweeping, mopping, waste management, and restroom upkeep. They may work in commercial, educational, or healthcare facilities. The term emphasizes the role of routine maintenance and upkeep rather than supervisory responsibilities. Pronunciation is notable for the initial soft 'j' sound and the plural suffix that stresses the first syllable and the ending.
"Thejanitors finished cleaning the office after hours."
"Several janitors were assigned to the school to ensure cleanliness."
"She spoke with the janitors about the restroom maintenance schedule."
Pronounce as /ˈdʒænɪtərz/ in US and AU, and /ˈdʒænɪtəz/ in many UK contexts. The stress sits on the first syllable: JAN-i-tors. Start with the voiced palato-alveolar affricate /dʒ/ as in 'job,' then /æ/ as in 'cat,' followed by /n/ and a short /ɪ/ in the second syllable. The final syllable ends with /tərz/ or /tə z/, with the /z/ or /z/ voice depending on voicing. For careful articulation, ensure the /t/ is a light alveolar stop and avoid an intrusive vowel before the final /z/. Audio references you can use include Pronounce and common dictionaries for your accent variation.
Common errors: (1) Slurring the middle /ɪ/ to a schwa, making /ˈdʒæ.nə.tərz/ sound; (2) De-voicing the final /z/ to /s/ in rapid speech, giving /ˈdʒænɪtəs/; (3) Misplacing stress or reducing the first syllable to /dʒæ/ with weak secondary stress. Corrections: rehearse /ˈdʒænɪtərz/ with a crisp /ɡ/ or /dʒ/ onset, make the middle /ɪ/ distinct, and keep the final /z/ voicing. Practice linking the /t/ to the following /ər/ with a light flap to avoid a heavy 't' sound. Listen to native speech: try recordings and mimic the rhythm.
US and AU typically use /ˈdʒænɪtərz/ with a clearly voiced final /z/. UK often pronounces as /ˈdʒænɪtəz/ using a final schwa plus a light z or s, with a slightly reduced final syllable and less conspicuous /r/; rhoticity is non-rhotic for some UK speakers, so final /r/ is not pronounced. Australian English tends toward /ˈdʒænɪtəz/ with a non-rhotic final and a clipped /t/ before vowels in fast speech. Watch vowel quality: /æ/ in the first syllable remains stable across accents; the central vowel in the second syllable can be reduced in rapid speech in UK and AU.
Two main challenges: (1) The halt-and-release of the /t/ before /ər/ can blur into a tapped or flapped sound; maintain a clean /t/ by brief contact with the alveolar ridge. (2) The transition from /æ/ to /n/ to /ɪ/ in the first two syllables requires precise tongue elevation and jaw opening; avoid reducing /ɪ/ to a schwa. Emphasize the cluster boundaries: /dʒ/ + /æ/ + /n/ + /ɪ/ + /t/ + /ər/ + /z/. Visualization: keep the mouth wide at /æ/ and relax the lips for /ər/.
A unique feature is the persistent /æ/ in the first syllable followed by a clear /n/ before a short /ɪ/ in the second syllable, creating a distinct 'jan' onset. Unlike some words where /æ/ merges with a following /n/ quickly, janitors requires a slightly held /æ/ to avoid blending with /n/. The final /z/ is voiced; ensure your voicing matches the preceding consonant’s voicing. IPA guide: /ˈdʒænɪtərz/ (US/AU) vs /ˈdʒænɪtəz/ (UK). Keywords: 'jan-,' 'i-,' 'tors'.
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The word janitor comes from the Latin janitor, meaning a doorkeeper or gatekeeper, from janua “door.” In Latin, janitor referred to a gatekeeper of a city or temple, later evolving in ecclesiastical and secular contexts to denote someone who guards or maintains premises. The English adoption traces back to the 15th–16th centuries, often with the sense of an attendant or custodian charged with keeping buildings clean and safe. By the 18th and 19th centuries, janitor broadened to include maintenance duties beyond mere guarding, aligning with modern roles like custodians and caretakers. The plural form janitors follows standard English pluralization: add -s, with the preceding -or typically yielding -ors in some compound terms, though pronunciation remains with stress on the first syllable. The stable core meaning—someone who maintains buildings—has persisted, even as the exact duties and social contexts have shifted with facility management practices. In contemporary usage, janitors are integral to facility operations, often working overnight or during off-peak hours to minimize disruption. This term remains common in schools, offices, hospitals, and industrial facilities, and it intersects with terms like custodian, maintenance worker, and facility technician, though each carries slight nuance in scope and status within an organization.
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Words that rhyme with "janitors"
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