3 syllables: Mas, ca, ra. Stress on ca.
mas-KER-uh
/mæˈskɛɹə/
Mascara is pronounced mas-KER-uh (/mæˈskɛɹə/). It has three syllables (Mas-ca-ra), with the stress on "ca". Mascara is a cosmetic product applied to the eyelashes to darken, lengthen, and define them. It’s commonly used in makeup routines and can be water- or smudge-resistant. The pronunciation emphasizes the second syllable, with a clear “s” onset and a soft “a” ending sound.
nounMascara is a cosmetic product applied to the eyelashes to darken, lengthen, and define them. It’s commonly used in makeup routines and can be water- or smudge-resistant. The pronunciation emphasizes the second syllable, with a clear “s” onset and a soft “a” ending sound.
- You will often misplace the stress on the first syllable, saying MAS-ca-ra. Tip: rehearse mas-CA-ra and use a light tap of the tongue for the first syllable, then strong emphasis on CA. - Vowel quality: /æ/ may become more like /eɪ/ or /æɪ/ when rushing; keep it short and open, then switch to a relaxed schwa for the final syllable. Practice by isolating each vowel sound and then chaining them with a natural rhythm. - Final schwa: Many speakers over-pronounce the final /ə/ or drop it entirely. Practice saying mas-CA-ra with a very short, unstressed /ə/ that barely breathes. - Linked speech: In rapid speech, the final /ə/ often blends into the next word. Use a brief pause or light breath between mascara and the next word to maintain clarity.
How to Pronounce Mascara
"She wore mascara to make her eyes look more awake."
"The mascara clumped a bit, so she wiped the brush and tried again."
"Mascara is usually removed at night with makeup remover."
Pronunciation: /mæsˈkærə/ (US/UK/AU). Stress is on the second syllable: mas-CA-ra. Start with /m/ (mouth closed, lips neutral), then /æ/ as in “cat,” move to /s/ after the vowel, then /ˈkær/ with a strong emphasis on the ‘car’ sound, ending with /ə/ a soft, relaxed schwa. Think “mas-KA-ra” with a clear, short first syllable and a pronounced second syllable. For audio references, you can compare to reputable dictionaries or YouTube pronunciation guides for confirmation.
Two common errors: (1) Stress placement on the first syllable (mas-CA-ra vs. MAS-ca-ra). Place primary stress on the second syllable as /ˈkær/. (2) Vowel quality: pronouncing /æ/ too open or not reducing the final schwa /ə/. Keep the final sound light and quick. Practice by saying mas-CA-ra, emphasizing the middle syllable, and finishing with a soft /ə/. Visualize the mouth shaping for /æ/ (open, near-front) and relax the jaw for the final schwa. Consistency in ending the word with a light, unstressed /ə/ helps avoid a clipped finish.
In US, UK, and AU, mascara is generally /mæsˈkærə/, with similar rhoticity. The main differences lie in vowel quality: US often has a slightly flatter /æ/ in the first syllable; UK may have a marginally longer vowel before the /r/ in rhotic accents, influencing the transition into the /kær/ syllable; Australian English tends to be non-rhotic but with a broad, slightly longer vowel in the /æ/ region. Overall, the /ˈkær/ stressed syllable remains prominent, while the final schwa remains unstressed across accents. Listen for subtle vowel shifts in the second syllable and the tendency toward a softer final vowel in AU during casual speech.
The challenge centers on the two-part rhythm: a light, quick first syllable and a stronger, stressed second syllable. The mid-vowel /æ/ must be precise, and the final /ə/ should be a soft, almost erased sound rather than a full vowel. Some non-native speakers lengthen or merge the /æ/ with /ə/ or misplace the stress, making it sound like mas-CA-ra or MA-sca-ra. Practice tip: isolate the two vowel sounds /æ/ and /ə/ in connected speech, then blend them with the correct stress: mas-CA-ra with a crisp, short “mas” and a breath into the “CA.”
Mascara follows a strong-weak-weak pattern with stress on the second syllable: mas-CA-ra. This pattern is distinctive because the final syllable is unstressed and reduced to a schwa, which can be easy to overemphasize. The unique feature to monitor is ensuring the second syllable carries the primary beat without dragging into the third, so you avoid saying MAS-ca-ra or mas-CA-ja. Keeping the middle syllable crisp and the end light is key to natural, native-like pronunciation.
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- US: Clear /æ/ in the first vowel; keep /ə/ short and light at the end; avoid rhotic coloration in the final syllable. - UK: Slightly crisper /æ/ with a marginally longer /æ/ before /k/, but still reduce the final; maintain non-rhoticity in most dialects, ensuring the /r/ is not pronounced unless rhotic variant is used. - AU: Similar to UK but with more vowel warmth in /æ/; final /ə/ is very soft; non-rhotic in most regional speech. IPA references: US /mæsˈkærə/, UK /mæsˈkærə/, AU /mæsˈkærə/. Practice by listening to brand tutorials and comparing vowel length in each variant.
Mascara comes from the Italian maschera meaning mask, and from the Spanish máscara meaning mask. The term entered English in the 19th century via French usage of mascara for makeup that emphasizes the eyes, echoing its role in making one’s eyes pop like a mask’s dramatic effect. Early uses described products that darkened lashes, mimicking the bold, theatrical makeups of theater and opera. In modern English, mascara has evolved into a broad cosmetic category, including waterproof formulas, volumizing polishes, and tubing mascaras, while retaining the core sense of enhancing the eye region to resemble a dramatic mask. The word’s spelling reflects Romance roots, with the -ara ending aligning to many cosmetic names borrowed from European languages. The pronunciation settled on /mæsˈkærə/ in American English, with variations in stress and vowel quality in other dialects over the 20th and 21st centuries as brands and formulations diversified. First known English attestations date to the late 1800s in cosmetic catalogs and theater manuals, where the product was increasingly standardized for mass market consumption.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Mascara" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Mascara"
-car sounds
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