2 syllables: Mar, ket. Stress on Mar.
MAHR-kuht
/ˈmɑɹkət/
Market is pronounced MAHR-kuht (/ˈmɑɹkət/). It has two syllables (Mar-ket), with the stress on "Mar". Market (noun): a place or occasion where people buy and sell goods; a commercial venture or arena. It can refer to a physical location, a broader economic system, or the demand for a product. In daily use, it often denotes a marketplace or the activity of buying and selling within an economy.
nounMarket (noun): a place or occasion where people buy and sell goods; a commercial venture or arena. It can refer to a physical location, a broader economic system, or the demand for a product. In daily use, it often denotes a marketplace or the activity of buying and selling within an economy.
- Common mistake: dropping the final -t in fast speech, resulting in /ˈmɑːr.kɪ/ or /ˈmɑː.kɪ/. Correction: practice a sharp release: hold the vowel, then release the tongue tip at the end with a quick, clean /t/; exhale slightly as you stop. - Common mistake: vowel quality shift in the first syllable (e.g., /æ/ or /ə/). Correction: aim for /ɑː/ (UK/AU) or /ɑːr/ in rhotic accents; keep jaw relaxed and tongue low, not pulled forward. - Common mistake: rushing the second syllable, merging into one syllable. Correction: ensure the second syllable carries a clear /kɪt/ with a crisp /k/ release and a short /ɪ/.
"The farmers' market opens at dawn and offers fresh produce."
"Stock prices can swing depending on market sentiment."
"A new online platform is aiming to disrupt the global market."
Pronounce as /ˈmɑːr.kɪt/ in most dialects. The primary stress falls on the first syllable. Begin with an open back low vowel /ɑː/ (as in 'far'), then move to a clipped /r/ in rhotic accents, and finish with a short /ɪ/ followed by a clear /t/. In careful speech, ensure the /k/ is released. See audio reference in Pronounce or YouGlish for native examples.
Two frequent errors: (1) Substituting /ʊ/ or /ə/ in the first syllable instead of the open /ɑː/; (2) Failing to release the final /t/, leading to /ˈmɑːrɪ/ or a silent end. Correction: keep the first vowel as /ɑː/ (not /æ/ or /ə/), stress the first syllable, and release the final /t/ clearly, using a short, crisp stop. Practicing with minimal pairs like /ˈmɑːr.kɪt/ vs /ˈmɑːr.kɪt̚/ can help pinpoint the final consonant.
In US English, /ˈmɑːr.kɪt/ with rhotic /r/ and a clear /t/. UK English typically uses /ˈmɑː.kɪt/ with non-rhotic /r/ and a shorter first syllable vowel due to compression, though in careful speech you’ll still hear /ɑː/. Australian English often mirrors US with a clear /r/ in careful speech but can be more centralized vowels and a slightly more fronted /æ/ near the first syllable in some dialects. Listen for rhoticity and vowel quality differences.
The word challenges non-native speakers with its tense vowel in the first syllable and the clipped final /t/. The combination of /ɑː/ and /r/ in rhotic varieties, plus the need to release the final /t/ distinctly in rapid speech, makes it easy to compress into /ˈmɑːrɪ/ or /ˈmɑː.kɪ/ without the final consonant. Focus on a clean /t/ release and equalizing the first syllable length.
A key point is the strong first-syllable stress and the need to clearly separate the two syllables in rapid speech to avoid merging into a single syllable. Also, in connected speech, you may hear a reduced second syllable in casual conversation, sounding like /ˈmɑːkɪ/; maintain the /t/ sound for clarity in professional contexts.
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- US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; the first syllable is /ˈmɑːɹ/ with a longer open back vowel. The second syllable uses /kɪt/, keep the /k/ aspirated lightly. - UK: often non-rhotic; you may hear /ˈmɑːkɪt/ with a shorter /ɑː/ and reduced /r/. The final /t/ is clear when enunciated. - AU: similar to US but with slightly flatter vowels and sometimes less rhoticity in casual speech; ensure /t/ is released distinctly. IPA references: /ˈmɑː.kɪt/ (UK/AU, non-rhotic), /ˈmɑːɹ.kɪt/ (US).
Market comes from the Old French marche (market, a place where goods are bought and sold) and directly from Latin mercatus (merchandise, trade, a market). The Latin root merc- relates to trade and goods, with mercari meaning to trade, buy, or sell. The term entered Old French in the High Middle Ages as marche and then into Middle English as market around the 13th century. Over time, its semantic range expanded from a physical marketplace to the broader sense of a market economy, industry sectors, or the overall demand for goods and services. By the 16th–17th centuries, market began to denote both the venue for commerce and the abstract concept of economic activity, including phrases like “global market,” “market share,” and “markets.” The word retains a core link to exchange and trade but now frequently maps to economic dynamics, consumer demand, and competitive landscapes across local and global scales.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Market" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Market" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Market"
-ket sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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