2 syllables: Ju, ry. Stress on Ju.
JUUR-ee
/ˈdʒʊɹi/
Jury is pronounced JUUR-ee (/ˈdʒʊɹi/). It has two syllables (Ju-ry), with the stress on "Ju". Jury (n.) a group of people sworn to render a verdict in a legal case; also the panel itself that decides questions of fact. In common usage, it refers to the assembly charged with deciding guilt or liability, or to the individuals forming that panel. The term emphasizes collective deliberation and verdict-taking authority within court proceedings.
nounJury (n.) a group of people sworn to render a verdict in a legal case; also the panel itself that decides questions of fact. In common usage, it refers to the assembly charged with deciding guilt or liability, or to the individuals forming that panel. The term emphasizes collective deliberation and verdict-taking authority within court proceedings.
"The jury returned a verdict after deliberating for two days."
"Several jurors were excused due to conflicts of interest."
"The jury listened intently as the attorney presented the evidence."
Jury is pronounced with two syllables: /ˈdʒuːri/ (US) or /ˈdʒʊəri/ (UK/AU). Start with the /dʒ/ sound as in judge, then the long or short ‘u’ vowel depending on accent, followed by a light /r/ and a final /i/ or /iː/ depending on dialect. The primary stress sits on the first syllable. If you’re comparing accents, US tends to a longer /uː/ in the first syllable, while UK/AU often have a shorter /ʊ/ or /ʊə/ quality with a more pronounced /r/ in rhotic speakers. You can use the audio reference in major pronunciation resources to hear the subtle vowel width and the rhotic vs non-rhotic ending.
Common errors include pronouncing the first syllable as a pure /juː/ with a drawn-out /i/ at the end, or flattening the /r/ so it sounds non-rhotic when the speaker does pronounce /r/. Another frequent slip is turning the second syllable into a heavy /i:/ instead of a light /ri/ glide. To correct: keep /dʒ/ as in “judge,” use a short but full /u/ (not a stretched vowel) in the first syllable, produce a light rhotic or non-rhotic /r/ depending on dialect, and finish with a crisp /i/ or /iɪ/ depending on regional vowel length.
In US English, /ˈdʒuːri/ with a clear long /uː/ and a rhotic /r/ before a final /i/. In UK English, /ˈdʒʊəri/ often features a shorter /ʊə/ or /ʊə/ diphthong and a lighter rhotic influence, sometimes making the second syllable less prominent. Australian pronunciation is close to UK, with /ˈdʒʊəri/ and a tendency toward a slightly flatter vowel in some speakers. Across all, the main difference is vowel quality in the first syllable and the rhoticity of the final consonant depending on whether the speaker is rhotic. IPA references align with these distinctions.
The difficulty centers on balancing the onset /dʒ/ with the vowel length in the first syllable and producing a clean, unobtrusive /r/ before the final /i/. For non-rhotic varieties, the /r/ is less pronounced or silent, which alters the perceived rhythm. The vowel in the first syllable can drift between /uː/ and /ʊə/ depending on accent, making accurate vowel height tricky. Sound-coherence between the two syllables—ensuring the second syllable isn’t swallowed—also challenges learners.
A unique feature is the two-syllable rhythm with an initial affricate /dʒ/ followed by a rounded back vowel and a final unstressed /i/ or /iː/, which creates a concise two-beat pattern. In many dialects, the second syllable is lightly pronounced, acting as an obstruent-to-vowel transition rather than a strong, stressed beat. Focusing on the transition from /u/ or /ʊ/ to /ri/ helps in achieving natural, native-like timing.
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US: rhotic /r/ kept before final vowel, longer first vowel /uː/. UK/AU: often non-rhotic or reduced rhotic, shorter /ʊə/ or /ɪə/ quality, final /i/ crisper. Vowel bars: /ˈdʒuːri/ vs /ˈdʒʊəri/. IPA in reference: US /ˈdʒuːri/; UK/AU /ˈdʒʊəri/. Accent notes: keep the first syllable slightly more rounded in US; in UK/AU, keep dynamic vowel transition from /ʊ/ toward /ə/ with a shorter duration. Mouth positions: for /dʒ/ place front tongue blade close to alveolar ridge, lips rounded for /uː/ or /ʊə/, tongue glides to /r/ with mild rhotic release, then relaxed /i/ or /iː/. For US, raise the tongue blade toward palate, add more retroflex tinge. For UK/AU, allow shorter vowel and lighter /r/.
Jury comes from Old French jurie, juré, meaning a promise or oath, rooted in Latin jurare ‘to swear’. The English term emerged in the 13th–14th centuries, tied to the medieval legal system where a group of sworn men determined disputes. The word’s semantic evolution centers on the collective, sworn obligation of a group to find truth or determine guilt. In Middle English, jurie referred to a body sworn to keep or enforce laws, later narrowing to a fixed panel of citizens who deliberate and render verdicts. The modern sense—“a group of jurors sworn to try a case and give a verdict”—coalesced by the 16th century as legal practices standardized. The word’s pronunciation and spelling stabilized over centuries, though regional variations in vowel quality and r-colored vowels emerged in later English dialects. JURY in uppercase hints at the proper noun and brand-like uses, but the common noun current usage remains the legal panel. First known use in recorded English texts appears in medieval legal documents, aligning with the establishment of juries in common law traditions.
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Words that rhyme with "Jury"
-rry sounds
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