2 syllables: ma, sons. Stress on ma.
MAY-suhnz
/ˈmeɪsənz/
masons is pronounced MAY-suhnz (/ˈmeɪsənz/). It has two syllables (ma-sons), with the stress on "ma". Masons refers to members of the trade or craft fraternity historically linked to Freemasonry, or to the plural of mason, a skilled builder who works with stone. The term can function as a plural noun describing such workers, or as a proper noun in contexts like a surname or specific society name. In everyday usage, it most often denotes multiple masons actively engaged in stonework.
Masons refers to members of the trade or craft fraternity historically linked to Freemasonry, or to the plural of mason, a skilled builder who works with stone. The term can function as a plural noun describing such workers, or as a proper noun in contexts like a surname or specific society name. In everyday usage, it most often denotes multiple masons actively engaged in stonework.
- You might flatten the /eɪ/ to a short /e/ as in 'men.' Tip: practice the diphthong by starting with /e/ and gliding to /ɪ/ in a slow loop, then finish with /ənz/. - You may place the stress on the second syllable by analogy to similar-sounding words; ensure you stress the first syllable: MA-sons. Tip: say the word aloud in isolation with deliberate emphasis on MA, then softly on -sons. - Some speakers produce a whispered or devoiced final /z/; ensure the final is voiced and clear by lightly voicing the last consonant; use a minimal pair with ‘ma-son’ vs ‘mas-on’s to feel the difference.
"The masons laid precise, even courses of limestone across the facade."
"She spoke with two masons about the openings needed for the new door."
"The masons demonstrated how to cut joints to ensure a tight fit."
Pronounce as /ˈmeɪ.sənz/. The first syllable carries primary stress. Start with the long A as in 'make' but elongated slightly, then a soft schwa in the second syllable, and finish with a clear plural -z sound. IPA: US/UK/AU share /ˈmeɪ.sənz/; ensure a crisp /s/ before the final /ənz/. Mouth position: lips neutral, tip of the tongue near the alveolar ridge for the /s/; relax the jaw for the unstressed second syllable. You can listen to native pronunciation on Pronounce or Forvo.
Common mistakes include flattening the first vowel to a short /e/ as in 'men' and misplacing the primary stress, saying ‘MAY-son’ with the wrong syllable tension, or ending with a dull /z/ instead of a voiced /z/. Another frequent error is inserting a extra syllable or reducing the second syllable too much, making it sound like ‘maz-ens.’ Correction: keep the /eɪ/ diphthong in the first syllable, stress the first syllable, and enunciate the final /z/ clearly after a light /ənz/.” ,
US and UK share /ˈmeɪ.sənz/ with rhotic difference minimal here; However, some UK speakers may slightly reduce the second syllable or merge vowels in rapid speech, while US speakers tend to keep a clear /ɪ/ or schwa in the second syllable. Australian English may show a slightly broader /æ/ or broader /ɒ/ depending on region, but for masons you’ll still commonly hear /ˈmeɪ.sənz/. Accent variation mostly affects vowel quality and r-coloring in rapid speech.
The difficulty stems from the diphthong /eɪ/ in the first syllable and the weak second syllable with a schwa that can blur into the final /z/. Speakers often misplace the primary stress or apply an extra syllable in the middle. The transition from /eɪ/ to /s/ and then to /ənz/ can be slippery, especially in connected speech. Focus on maintaining a crisp /eɪ/ onset, a light, quick /ənz/ ending, and a final voiced /z/.
Does 'masons' ever reduce the second syllable under casual speech, and how should you adjust? In very informal speech, some speakers reduce the schwa in the second syllable or lightly compress the /ən/ to a syllabic /n/ in rapid phrases. For clarity, keep the second syllable as a light /ən/ and fall into the final /z/. If speed increases, you can practice a slightly quicker, less separated /məˈsɒnz/ variant for casual contexts, but retain the diphthong in the first syllable.
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- US: rhotic? mostly vowel quality and rhoticity minimal here; focus on crisp /ˈmeɪ/ onset, a backed schwa at /sənz/; keep r-less. - UK: maintain non-rhotic, but with clear /ˈmeɪ.sənz/; diphthong may be a touch tenser. - AU: may show broader vowel in /eɪ/ and more vowel reduction; keep the same "/ˈmeɪ.sənz/"; adopt a slightly more closed /i/ in the second syllable depending on region. IPA references: /ˈmeɪ.sənz/ across. - Common cross-accent practice: keep the first syllable strong, second syllable short, final /z/ audible; avoid a trailing /s/ confusion with /z/.
The word mason originates from Old French maçon, from Latin lapicium, meaning ‘stone,’ or from maceria ‘wall’ (unclear). Its root relates to stonework craft and building. The modern plural masons derives from the Old French maçon plus the English plural suffix -s, used to indicate multiple individuals of the trade. Historically, masons were organized in guilds and operative lodges within medieval and early modern Europe; “Freemasons” later adopted a broader, symbolic association rather than exclusively stonework. First known uses in English appear in Middle English documents referring to stonemasons and those who work with stone in building projects. Over time, “mason” came to describe both the craftsperson and, in fixed phrases, any builder who shapes or sets stone, with “mason” also appearing as a surname and in organizational names such as lodges or guilds. In modern English, “masons” is most commonly a straightforward plural noun. The semantic shift includes the figurative sense in Freemasonry, though the term’s core meaning remains rooted in stone construction. The evolution reflects the social and professional framing of craft labor from medieval guilds to contemporary trade contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "masons"
-rd) sounds
-son sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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