Mouth is a noun referring to the opening at the face through which food and air pass, and by extension the opening of any cavity or channel. It also denotes the oral region in animals and a figurative sense for speech or expression. The term encompasses anatomy, function, and figurative uses related to speaking, taste, or passage of substances.
"- She washed her mouth after brushing her teeth."
"- The river emptied into the mouth of the harbor."
"- He spoke with confidence, though his mouth trembled."
"- It’s a rough road ahead, but words can move mountains with how you use your mouth."
The word mouth comes from the Old English muð, which also existed in Old Norse (móð), from Proto-Germanic *muþiz, and of uncertain ultimate origin. In Proto-Indo-European, related forms appear in several branches with meanings connected to language, speech, or opening. Early senses centered on the anatomical opening of the face, then expanded to include the opening of a cave or harbor, and later to metaphorical uses for speech and expression. By Middle English, mouth referred to the oral cavity but also adopted figurative ideas such as “mouth of a river” or “mouth of a passage.” Over centuries, the term accumulated collocations tied to feeding, speaking, and conveyance of sound, with the modern sense maintaining both the anatomical and figurative dimensions. First known written attestations appear in Old English texts dating before the 12th century, reflecting the long-standing human association between the mouth, speech, and sustenance. Modern English retains rich, multi-word phrases and idioms built around mouth-related concepts, including expressions about speaking one's mind or the importance of choosing words carefully. The word’s phonology has remained relatively stable, with the primary pronunciation centered on /maʊθ/ in General American, /maʊθ/ in British English, and a similarly rounded vowel in Australian varieties, but with marginal regional diphthong adjustments.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Mouth" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Mouth"
-uth sounds
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Mouth is pronounced /maʊθ/. The first sound is an open-mid back rounded vowel + labial onset, followed by the diphthong /aʊ/ as in now, and ending with the dental fricative /θ/ (tongue tip to upper teeth). The primary accent stress is on the single syllable, so maintain a clear, even duration across the entire word. Audio references include standard pronunciation models in dictionaries; for practice you can listen to native speakers saying it and imitate the mouth position.
Common errors include softening the final /θ/ to /f/ or /s/, as in /maʊf/ or /maʊs/, and substituting /aʊ/ with a monophthong like /aː/ or /ɔː/. Another frequent mistake is delaying or misplacing the dental contact, resulting in an airy /mauθ/ or misarticulated dental friction. To correct: keep the tongue tip lightly touching the upper teeth for /θ/ and maintain the tight, rounded lip shape for the /aɪ/–like glide; ensure a crisp, short dental fricative with audible boundary.
In US, /maʊθ/ with a tighter lip rounding and a clearer /θ/; the vowel /aʊ/ tends to be shorter. In UK, /maʊθ/ often features a slightly more forward tongue and a marginally higher tongue blade for /aʊ/, with crisp dental friction. Australian usually retains /maʊθ/ but the /aʊ/ diphthong can start slightly lower and finish with less lip rounding. Across all, the final /θ/ remains dental; the main variation is vowel quality and rhotics in surrounding syllables.
Because it requires precise articulation of a voiced consonant-free onset and a voiceless dental fricative at the end. The /aʊ/ diphthong demands a rapid, controlled glide from /a/ to /ʊ/ while maintaining lip rounding. The tip of the tongue must contact the upper teeth just behind the front teeth for /θ/, with steady air flow to avoid a hiss or lisp. Coarticulation with neighboring sounds can pull the tongue or lips, making the /θ/ hard to maintain cleanly.
Yes. The terminal /θ/ is a voiceless dental fricative that follows the /aʊ/ diphthong. Many learners struggle with maintaining the dental contact long enough to produce a clean /θ/ without turning into /f/ or /s/. Focus on a light contact behind the upper teeth and a short, crisp release. Remember, the mouth remains relatively open through the diphthong, with minimal jaw drop at the end.
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