3 syllables: Ma, dame Tu, ssauds. Stress on Ma.
MAD-uhm too-sawdz
/ˈmædəm ˌtuːsɔːdz/
Madame Tussauds is pronounced MAD-uhm too-sawdz (/ˈmædəm ˌtuːsɔːdz/). It has three syllables (Ma-dame Tu-ssauds), with the stress on "Ma". As a noun, a proper noun referring to the famous wax museum in London (and its affiliated sites). It denotes the organization behind life-sized wax figures and celebrity busts, named after its founder, Marie Tussaud, and operates as a public attraction with locations worldwide. The pronunciation and brand reference commonly appear in tourism, culture, and media discussions.
nounA proper noun referring to the famous wax museum in London (and its affiliated sites). It denotes the organization behind life-sized wax figures and celebrity busts, named after its founder, Marie Tussaud, and operates as a public attraction with locations worldwide. The pronunciation and brand reference commonly appear in tourism, culture, and media discussions.
- You: Mispronounce Tussauds as Too-sods or Too-sawds by shortening the /uː/ or misplacing the /ɔː/ diphthong. Fix by holding the long 'oo' sound and finishing with a crisp /dz/ for plural. - You: Flatten the name into Mad-um-Tus-Ads; instead, keep two clear syllables in Madame and use the stress on Tu- in Tussauds. - You: Ignore the French root and anglicize softly; keep the French-influenced /t/ and /uː/. Practice with minimal pairs focusing on /tuː/ vs /tjuː/ to keep the correct tongue position. - You: Slur the final /dz/; practice voicing the final consonant while keeping the preceding vowel intact.
How to Pronounce Madame Tussauds
"We visited Madame Tussauds in London last summer and caught a behind-the-scenes tour."
"The new exhibition at Madame Tussauds features holographic figures of contemporary stars."
"Madame Tussauds attracts millions of visitors each year with its famous celebrity statues."
Pronounce it as /ˌmædəm ˈtuːsɔːdz/ in US and UK varieties. Stress on the second word: ta-SOHDZ with a long oo in 'Tu-'. The initial 'Ma' is schwa-like in 'Ma-dam' (mə-ˈdæm). Hands-on tip: lips rounded for /uː/ in 'Tussauds' and keep the final /z/ voiced. If you can, listen to a native pronunciation on Pronounce or Forvo to hear the 'Tu' part leading into the /sɔːdz/ cluster.
Common errors include pronouncing the second word as 'Too-sawds' with short /ɔ/ or dropping the leading syllable: saying 'Ma-dam Too-saws' or 'Mad- am Too-SAHDS.' Correct by maintaining a clear /tuː/ for 'Tu' and a rounded /ɔː/ in the final syllable. Also avoid turning /ˈtjuː/ into a simplified 'tyoo' and ensure the final /dz/ is voiced as a soft 'dz' rather than 'zd'.
In US pronunciation, you’ll hear /ˌmædəm ˈtuːˌsɔːdz/ with a rhotic 'r-like' rhythm only if the speaker has rhotic influence; generally non-rhotic for British and Australian speakers, with /r/ absent before vowels. The UK version maintains /ˈtuːsɔːdz/ with a clear long /uː/ and a non-rhotic final. Australian tends towards /ˈtuːsɔːdz/ similar to UK, but you’ll notice slightly broader vowels and more elongated diphthongs; the key is the long /uː/ and the dental-alveolar /s/ cluster. Listen to native sources for subtle vowel shifts.
Two main challenges: the second word uses a long /uː/ plus an /sɔːdz/ sequence with a voiced alveolar fricative and a final /dz/ cluster that can be mispronounced as /zd/. The initial 'Madame' has a muted first syllable with a schwa, followed by a stressed second syllable; this contrast can confuse learners. Additionally, the brand’s French-derived spelling invites mispronunciations, especially in languages where vowel length and mouth position differ. Practice the two-syllable rhythm and the final voiced consonant.
A practical quirk is the 'Tussauds' pronunciation, which many English learners misread as /ˈtuːˈsɔːdz/ or /ˈtuˌsɔːdz/. The accurate sequence is /tuːˈsɔːdz/ with a clear split between the two syllables and stress on the second word's first syllable. The brand retains the French-sounding 'oaud' vowel quality; keep the /ɔː/ sound long and prefer a slight rounding on the lips. Understanding this helps avoid common misplacements of stress and vowel length.
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- US: Non-rhotic tendencies, vowel length differences; pronounce 'Tu' with a pure /uː/ and maintain /sɔːdz/ without adding an /r/ or extra vowel. - UK: Similar non-rhotic approach; emphasize /tuː/ with a slightly higher F3 resonance in the /sɔːdz/ cluster; keep lips rounded for /ɔː/. - AU: Broad vowels and more pronounced diphthongs; keep /tuː/ long then glide into /sɔːdz/ with rounded lips and a clear voiced /dz/. Use IPA references and record and compare.
Madame Tussauds is a proper name derived from the French surname of its founder, Marie Tussaud (often spelled Marie Grosholtz before marriage). The term combines the honorific Madame (French for Mrs.) and the surname Tussauds, which itself derives from a Walloon or French origin. The museum began in the early 19th century after Marie Tussaud learned wax modeling during the French Revolution, creating figures of notable figures for display. The original collection was housed in Baker Street, London, before moving to its current location on Marylebone Road; its fame expanded with international branches. The name has become a brand symbol for wax likenesses and celebrity impersonations, and it is pronounced with a silent-e and specific French-influenced vowel qualities in many English-speaking regions. The museum’s identity is inseparably tied to the founder’s surname, which can influence pronunciation and anglicization across locales. First known usage as a proper noun for the wax museum appears in London in the 19th century, then spreading to global branches in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, making the name a widely recognized cultural reference to wax sculpture icons.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Madame Tussauds" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Madame Tussauds"
-uds sounds
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