One syllable: lips.
/lɪps/
Say it backLips are the fleshy, movable borders of the mouth that form the opening and contribute to articulation, expression, and sound shaping. As a plural noun, “lips” refers to both the upper and lower lips; as a verb form (third-person singular) it means to press or press my lips together, but in everyday usage it most often appears as a noun. The word is common, concrete, and frequently appears in phrases about speech, touch, and cosmetics.
"She bit her lips when she was thinking deeply."
"The dog licked its lips after tasting the treat."
"Her lips curled into a smile as she spoke."
Pronounce as /lɪps/. The initial /l/ is light and contact with the alveolar ridge; the vowel is a short lax /ɪ/ as in 'sit'; the /p/ is a voiceless bilabial plosive with a brief stop, followed by a final /s/ that is a clear, voiceless sibilant. In careful speech, hold the vowel briefly before the /p/ and release into /ps/ with a quick transition to /s/. IPA: /lɪps/.
Common errors include turning /ɪ/ into a more centralized or diphthong-like vowel (e.g., /ə/), producing a softened /p/ as an unreleased bilabial or a flap, and letting the final /s/ blend with the preceding /p/ making it /lips/ or /lɪps/ with little voiceless release. Correct by ensuring a crisp /p/ with a short, explosive release and a clear /s/ after. Practice with a brief pause between /p/ and /s/ to maintain distinct segments: /l/ - /ɪ/ - /p/ - /s/.
In US, UK, and AU accents the core is /lɪps/. Differences show in vowel quality and rhoticity around surrounding phrases; rhotics are not relevant in /lips/ itself. Some UK speakers may have a slightly more centralized /ɪ/ and a crisper /p/ release, while US speakers often prize a slightly tenser /ɪ/ and a swifter /s/ release. Australian pronunciation remains close to /lɪps/ but can exhibit broader vowel quality in surrounding vowels and flapped or glottalized variants in rapid speech. Overall, main variation is in adjacent sounds rather than the target word itself.
The difficulty lies in timing the transitions between the bilabial stop /p/ and the sibilant /s/ while keeping the vowel stable. The /l/ demands tongue-on-alveolar contact with light leakage around the sides, which can feel counterintuitive if you’re tense. In rapid speech, the /p/ release can blur into the /s/. Focus on a clean bilabial closure, a crisp stop release, and a firmly placed alveolar sibilant to separate the segments clearly.
Because 'lips' ends with a voiceless /s/, you’ll want to ensure voiceless termination even in connected speech. A common search query asks how to avoid voice assimilation from a preceding voiced consonant; here, the key is to keep the final /s/ crisp and unvoiced, not lengthened or colored by surrounding vowels. Maintain a light, forward resonance with the /l/ and a short /ɪ/ before the /p/ release, then a precise /s/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "lips"!
Lips comes from the Old English word lippu, related to Dutch lip and German Lippe, all tracing to Proto-Germanic *lippa-. The root is tied to the anatomical lip, but historically it also appeared in senses of edge or border. Over time, lips accrued a figurative use in phrases like “to give lip” meaning to talk back, reflecting their central role in facial expression and communication. The earliest English attestations date back to Old English texts, with stable meaning by the Middle English period. The word’s evolution mirrors human emphasis on facial features in social interaction, cosmetics, and speech. In modern English, “lips” retains a concrete anatomical meaning while also appearing in metaphorical expressions like “the lips of a river” for its border-like significance. The plural form reflects the two fleshy parts, upper and lower, though the term can appear collectively to refer to the mouth’s boundary as a unit in phrases like “lipstick on the lips.”
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "lips" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "lips" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "lips" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "lips"
-ips sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
