2 syllables: Mar, quise. Stress on Mar.
MAHR-kwiz
/ˈmɑɹ.kwɪz/
Marquise is pronounced MAHR-kwiz (/ˈmɑɹ.kwɪz/). It has two syllables (Mar-quise), with the stress on "Mar". Marquise is a noun referring to a noble title, historically a female marquis or a male count in some contexts. It can also describe a decorative, often curved arch or gateway in architecture. In modern usage, the term appears in names, heraldry, and literature, sometimes as a surname or given name. The word carries an air of formality and European aristocratic association.
nounMarquise is a noun referring to a noble title, historically a female marquis or a male count in some contexts. It can also describe a decorative, often curved arch or gateway in architecture. In modern usage, the term appears in names, heraldry, and literature, sometimes as a surname or given name. The word carries an air of formality and European aristocratic association.
"The Marquise de Lafayette hosted an elegant salon in Paris."
"Researchers discussed the insignia worn by the marquise during the ceremony."
"Every summer he trained with a tutor to improve his French, much like a nobleman addressing the Marquise."
Pronounce as mar-KEEZ with stress on the second syllable. IPA in US: ˌmɑːrˈkiːz. In UK and AU, similar rhythm: ˌmɑːˈkiːz. Start with an open back unrounded /ɑː/ like 'car', then an 'keez' rhymes with 'seize'. Mouth: begin with relaxed jaw, glide into a tight, elongated final /kiːz/ with a voiceless /k/ then a long /iː/ followed by an /z/.
Common errors: treating the second syllable as 'mark-iss' or 'mɑːr-kiz' with a short /ɪ/. Correct to /ˌmɑːrˈkiːz/ where the final 'ze' is a long /iː/ followed by a /z/. Avoid softening /z/ to /s/ in careful speech, and avoid splitting the syllables too evenly; keep the stress clearly on the second syllable and maintain a brief pause before it in slow speech.
In US, stress on the second syllable with a long /iː/ and final /z/; US English often preserves the /ɹ/ rhoticity leading into the syllable. In UK, similar but with slightly rounded /ɑː/ and a crisp /z/. Australian tends to maintain /ˈmɑː kiːz/ with a strong non-rhoticity in some speakers; voicing and vowel width can be slightly reduced. Across all, the key is keeping /kiː/ as a single unit and not turning the ending into /s/.
The difficulty lies in the contrast between the long, tense /iː/ and the preceding /ki/ cluster, plus the final /z/ following a silent-appearing spelling. English speakers may misplace the primary stress or mispronounce the final consonant as /s/ or /ʒ/. The two-syllable flow with the 'ki' onset demands precise tongue position: a high front vowel for /iː/ and a precise /z/ voice onset time; tutoring helps anchor the rhythm and voicing.
Note the 'que' segment often signals a /kiː/ sound rather than /kw/ in this word, so you should avoid a /kw/ blend. The 'mar-' part uses /mɑːr/ with an open back vowel. The unique item is the non-diphthongal 'ee' in /kiː/ that sits on the beat before the final /z/, which should be a clear, voiced alveolar fricative. Keep the final /z/ crisp and unvoiced? No, voiced.
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Marquise comes from Old French marquis, which itself derives from the Late Latin marchisius, borrowed from the Frankish markhiso- meaning ‘of the march’ or boundary. The term originally described a military title for a ruler of a border territory, responsible for defense and governance. The gendered form marquise emerged in French to denote a noblewoman equivalent to a male marquis; it was adopted into English through Norman and later Renaissance accessible literature, keeping its aristocratic connotation. The word traveled across European languages, often with variations such as marchesa in Italian and marquesa in Spanish, preserving the sense of high rank and territorial privilege. Modern English usage tends to preserve the title in formal or historical contexts, and as a personal name since the 18th century. First known English uses date from medieval and early modern translations of French nobility lists, chronicles, and marriage records. In contemporary typography, the word appears in heraldry, architecture (as named arches or features), and in fiction, maintaining its historical prestige while sometimes carrying a subtle lineage or ancestral weight.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Marquise" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Marquise"
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