Maze is a complex network of passages designed as a puzzle to find a way from start to finish. As a noun, it also refers to any intricate, confusing system or environment. The word conveys a sense of mystery and challenge, with a short, sharp pronunciation that centers on a single stressed syllable and a long vowel sound before a consonant ending.
"- The farmers built a corn maze for autumn festival visitors."
"- The corporate filing system feels like a maze with endless folders and subfolders."
"- He wandered through the maze of streets until he found the cafe."
"- Researchers traced the genetic maze to identify the mutation responsible."
The word maze comes from the Old English mesu or wæsm, related to the concept of a structure of passages arranged as a challenge. It entered English in the early medieval period, evolving from the sense of ‘a place full of winding passages’ and later attaching to the modern sense of a puzzle or labyrinth. The Latin word labyrinthus influenced European languages, reinforcing the image of a complex, tangled network. By the 14th century, “maze” is used in English to describe both actual garden labyrinths and figurative situations of confusion. Over time, the term broadened to include metaphorical mazes, such as bureaucratic mazes and mental puzzles, while “labyrinth” became a more formal synonym used mainly in literary and architectural contexts. The word’s pronunciation stabilized in modern English with the long “a” as in “face” and a final “z” voiced sound, aligning with the common pattern of English mono-syllabic words ending in a voiced sibilant.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Maze" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Maze" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Maze"
-aze sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Maze is pronounced with a single stressed syllable: /ˈmeɪz/. Start with the open-mid front vowel sound in 'day,' glide into the diphthong /eɪ/, and finish with the voiced alveolar sibilant /z/. The mouth stays relatively relaxed, with the tongue positioned high in the middle of the mouth for /eɪ/. IPA: US/UK/AU: /ˈmeɪz/; note the final z is voiced, not a t-sound or sibilant. Audio example: compare to 'maze' in standard pronunciation guides or Forvo entries.
Two common errors: 1) Pronouncing the diphthong too short or ending with a flat /e/ instead of the /eɪ/ glide; ensure you start with /eɪ/ as in 'day' and not a short /e/. 2) Voicing the final consonant incorrectly, turning /z/ into /s/ or a mute sound; keep the vocal cords active for /z/. Practice by saying /ˈmeɪz/ slowly, then speed up while keeping the vowel length and voicing consistent.
In US/UK/AU, the pronunciation is the same /ˈmeɪz/ for most speakers. The main variation lies in vowel quality of the /eɪ/ diphthong: US speakers often have a slightly more centralized nucleus, UK speakers may show a brighter /eɪ/ with a more open starting point, and Australian speakers tend to align closely with UK-influenced Australian vowel shifts, sometimes nearing a flatter /eɪ/ with subtle rtr. Overall, rhoticity doesn’t alter this word as it’s non-rhotic in most dialects.
The challenge is maintaining a crisp, long /eɪ/ diphthong and a voiced final /z/ in rapid speech. Beginners often shorten the vowel or reduce the final /z/ to a /s/ or omit voicing. Another subtle challenge is the immediate transition from the open-mid /eɪ/ to the alveolar /z/; you need precise tongue blade contact and continuous voicing. Focus on sustaining the vowel and keeping the mouth compact through the final /z/.
A distinctive aspect is the glide from /eɪ/ to /z/ where the tongue moves to a high position for the vowel before engaging the alveolar ridge for /z/. Ensure there’s no mora break: your vocal cords should buzz continuously through the final sound. Another point: don’t aspirate the final z; keep it soft and voiced. This combination helps avoid confusion with similar-sounding words like 'math' or 'maze' vs 'maize' in some dialects.
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