2 syllables: li, quor. Stress on li.
LIK-ur
/ˈlɪkɚ/
liquor is pronounced LIK-ur (/ˈlɪkɚ/). It has two syllables (li-quor), with the stress on "li". Liquor refers to a distilled alcoholic beverage. It is commonly used to denote spirits such as whiskey, vodka, or rum. In broader contexts, it can describe any ethanol-based beverage, though in everyday language it typically means a strong drink rather than beer or wine. The term emphasizes the distilled nature and higher alcohol content.
Liquor refers to a distilled alcoholic beverage. It is commonly used to denote spirits such as whiskey, vodka, or rum. In broader contexts, it can describe any ethanol-based beverage, though in everyday language it typically means a strong drink rather than beer or wine. The term emphasizes the distilled nature and higher alcohol content.
- You may overarticulate the first vowel, stretching it into /iː/ or /i/; instead, keep it short as /ɪ/ as in kit. - You might fail to release the /k/ before the final syllable; practice a clean, full stop /k/ followed by a quick /ɚ/. - In connected speech, final /r/ can disappear in non-rhotic accents; practice with a light, barely-there /ɹ/ to keep the rhythm natural.
"She sipped the liquor and waited for the mixed drink to settle."
"The bar offered a wide selection of liquors from different regions."
"He learned about the aging process of liquor during a distillery tour."
Pronunciation is LIK-er, with primary stress on the first syllable. In IPA for US/UK/AU, it is /ˈlɪkər/. The first syllable uses a short i as in “kit,” followed by a schwa or reduced vowel in the second syllable. Keep the r-colored vowel compact and avoid turning the second syllable into a full vowel. You’ll want a clean, quick /k/ before the final /ər/. Audio references: try listening to native speakers via pronunciation resources, repeat after them, and focus on the crisp /k/ before the rhotic ending.
Common errors include turning the second syllable into a full vowel (e.g., /ˈliːkə/ instead of /ˈlɪkər/) and misplacing the /r/ or adding an extra syllable. Another frequent mistake is a stretched /ɪ/ in the first syllable or pronouncing the /k/ too softly. Corrections: shorten the first vowel to /ɪ/ as in “kit,” ensure a crisp /k/ before the /ər/ and let the final /ər/ be weakly rhotic. Practice with minimal pairs like liquor vs ligor (as in “liger” but not a real word) and use a quick, clipped second syllable.
In US/UK/AU, the core /ˈlɪkər/ is similar, but rhoticity matters: US and many AU accents retain a rhotic /ɹ/ in the final syllable, sounding like /ˈlɪkɚ/. UK non-rhotic varieties may reduce the r, approximating /ˈlɪkə/ in careful speech, though most modern British speakers still render a light /ɹ/ in connected speech. Vowel quality of /ɪ/ and the speed of the post-k /əɹ/ can shift slightly; Australians tend toward a quick, softer /ɹ/ with a more centralized vowel. Listen for the final vowel being unstressed and the r being either pronounced or barely audible depending on accent.
The difficulty stems from a short, lax first vowel /ɪ/ followed by a voiceless /k/ and a rhotic ending /ər/. Rapid speech can blur the /k/ and turn the final /ər/ into a schwa with an indistinct rhotic. Mouth positioning requires a quick transition: high-front tongue for /ɪ/, back of tongue for /k/, and a compact /ɹ/ or its absence in rhotic accents. Mastery needs controlled timing and precise consonant release to avoid a vowel-dominant or mis-stressed syllable.
There is no silent letter in liquor. The word is pronounced with three sounds: /l/ initial, /ɪ/ vowel, /k/ consonant, and an ending /ɚ/ or /əɹ/ depending on accent. The key nuance is keeping the /k/ clearly released before the rhotic finale and not letting the /ɪ/ dilute into an elongated vowel. Focus on the crisp /k/ release and the quick, almost whispered /ɚ/ in casual speech.
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- US: rhotic variety; final /ɹ/ is pronounced; keep the /ɪ/ crisp and the /ɹ/ as a clear vocalic cue. - UK: often non-rhotic; the final /ɹ/ is weaker; aim for /ˈlɪkə/ in careful speech, with a lighter /ə/ in the ending. - AU: typically rhotic with a soft /ɹ/; the vowel may be a bit more centralized; keep the /ɪ/ short and a gentle /ɹ/; use IPA references /ˈlɪkə/ or /ˈlɪkɚ/ depending on speaker. - Common: relax the lip tension around /k/ and avoid lip rounding that can make /ɪ/ sound like /iː/.
Liquor comes from the Middle English word licour, borrowed from the Old French liqeur, which itself derives from the Latin liquorem, meaning “fluid, liquid, liquid medicine.” The root notion is the quality of being a liquid substance. In medieval and early modern English, licour referred to any liquid, especially tinctures and medicines. By the 16th century, liquor began to denote distilled spirits more specifically, aligning with terms like aqua vitae (water of life) used in distillation traditions. The semantic narrowing—from “any liquid” to “spirits” and then “hard liquor”—tracks the rise of distillation in Europe and colonial trade, where terms for distilled beverages proliferated. The term gradually shifted into contemporary usage to primarily denote alcoholic spirits, while occasionally appearing in phrases like “liquor store” or “hard liquor” to avoid ambiguity with wine or beer. First known uses in English date back to the late medieval period, with stable meanings emerging by the early modern era as distillation became widespread.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "liquor" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "liquor" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "liquor"
-ker sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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