4 syllables: mil, li, me, ters. Stress on mil.
MIL-uh-mee-turz
/ˈmɪləˌmitɚz/
millimeters is pronounced MIL-uh-mee-turz (/ˈmɪləˌmitɚz/). It has four syllables (mil-li-me-ters), with the stress on "mil". millimeters (abbr. mm) is a unit of length in the metric system equal to one thousandth of a meter. It’s used for precise measurements in science, engineering, and everyday contexts where small distances matter. The plural form is common in measurements and specifications, and the word is read with three syllables: mil-li-me-ters, though most speakers pronounce it as two or three segments depending on dialect.
millimeters (abbr. mm) is a unit of length in the metric system equal to one thousandth of a meter. It’s used for precise measurements in science, engineering, and everyday contexts where small distances matter. The plural form is common in measurements and specifications, and the word is read with three syllables: mil-li-me-ters, though most speakers pronounce it as two or three segments depending on dialect.
"The gap between the gears is only a few millimeters wide."
"She measured the fabric to within a few millimeters of accuracy."
"The 3D printer’s nozzle can be adjusted in increments of millimeters."
Say /ˈmɪl.əˌmiː.tərz/ (US) or /ˈmɪl.ɪˈmiː.təz/ (UK) with primary stress on the first syllable MIL, and a secondary stress on the third syllable MOOR? Actually, pronunciation centers on MIL-uh-MEE-turz for most US speakers; the exact sequence is mil-li-me-ters. IPA guidance: US /ˈmɪl.ɪˌmiː.tərz/ or /ˈmɪl.əˌmiː.tərz/, UK /ˈmɪl.ɪˌmiː.təz/. Listen for the long /iː/ in the ‘meter’ portion, and a diminitive /z/ at the end when plural.
Two common errors: misplacing stress (underscoring ‘MIL’ too lightly) and mispronouncing the final plural as /s/ instead of /z/ after a voiced consonant like /t/. Correct by stressing MIL first, then Li, then metres clearly: /ˈmɪl.əˌmiː.tərz/. Also avoid compressing the middle syllable into a quick schwa; keep it distinct: mil-uh-MEE-turz.
US tends to a flatter ‘mil-uh-MEE-turz’ with a clear /t/ and final /z/. UK often ends with a lighter, more clipped /təz/ or /tərz/, and may have a shorter /iː/ in the middle; some speakers reduce /lɪ/ to /lɪ/ with less vowel length, producing /ˈmɪl.ɪˌmiː.təz/. Australian tends toward /ˈmɪl.ɪˌmiː.təz/ with non-rhoticity affecting the following syllable’s vowel length slightly and a more pronounced final /z/.
The difficulty comes from rapid alternation between /l/ and schwa-like nucleus in the second and third syllables, plus a voiced final cluster /ərz/ that yields a softer ending in some accents. The middle /miː/ cluster can blur if you don’t lengthen the vowel, and the final /z/ must stay voiceless? No, voiced. So keep the /z/ for natural cadence and avoid devoicing the final sound.
A unique point is the transition from /miː/ to /tər/ or /təz/, which can be slurred in rapid speech into /miː.təz/ or /miːtərz/. Focus on a clean /t/ before the final /ər/ or /ə/ cluster and an audible final /z/. Also, ensure the syllable boundary after /l/ remains intact to preserve the 'mil-li-' structure.
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The word millimeter originates from the French metre, via the French millimètre, formed from milli- meaning one thousandth and -metre, the unit of measure from Greek metron ‘measure’. The concept of the millimeter as a subdivision of the meter emerged with the broader adoption of the metric system in the 18th–19th centuries, particularly after the 1795 metric reform in France and subsequent international standardization. In English, the spelling moved toward the -meter suffix akin to centimeter and kilometer, established in the 19th century as the metric prefixes were standardized globally. Early usage tracked the practical need for precision in science and engineering, with early 20th-century texts adopting millimeter as the standard unit for tiny measurements in manufacturing and optics. The term’s first widely cited use aligns with metric system documentation and manuals from late 1800s to early 1900s, as manufacturers and laboratories transitioned from traditional units to the metric system for consistency and international cooperation.
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Words that rhyme with "millimeters"
-ers sounds
-ter sounds
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