Mouths is the plural of mouth, referring to the openings of the face used for eating, speaking, and expression. As a noun, it denotes more than one mouth and can describe people’s faces collectively or the openings in containers or objects. The term appears in everyday language and in medical or biological contexts. Pronunciation emphasizes the /aʊ/ diphthong and final /s/ voicing differences in plural form.
"She opened her mouths in surprise as the food arrived."
"The caves had mossy mouths carved into the stone walls."
"Two mouths to feed means extra effort and planning."
"He dried his mouths with a napkin before answering."
Mouths derives from Old English muþ, which shared origins with Proto-Germanic *muþam and Proto-Indo-European *mut-, all referring to the oral cavity or speech. The plural was formed with the standard -s suffix in Middle English as singular muþ became mouths when spelling and pronunciation adjusted to reflect plural phonology. The core sense—an opening for ingestion, speech, or expression—expanded in literate tradition to include metaphorical mouths as channels for opinion, voice, or passage. Early texts use mouths in physiological and figurative senses; the word appears in medical writings and poetry by the 12th–14th centuries, with stable pluralization by Early Modern English. Over time, “mouths” also function as a count noun for individuals present at events (e.g., “to feed X mouths”). In contemporary use, it spans anatomy, agriculture, gastronomy, and metaphorical language, retaining the core meaning of an opening or orifice oriented toward consumption or communication while enabling plural reference to multiple openings or individuals.
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Words that rhyme with "Mouths"
-ths sounds
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Pronounce as /maʊðz/ (US/UK/AU). The first syllable is a stressed diphthong /aʊ/ like ‘how,’ followed by the voiced dental fricative /ð/ as in 'the,' and the plural suffix /-z/ with vibratory voice. Keep the lips rounded for /aʊ/ and allow the tongue to lightly contact the upper teeth for /ð/, then release into a light /z/ for the final sound. You’ll hear this as a smooth transition from /ð/ to /z/—mouths.”
Common errors: (1) Slurring the /ð/ into a /d/ or /t/ and turning /z/ into /s/. (2) Dropping the /ð/ or conflating it with /d/ in rapid speech. (3) Misplacing the tongue so /aʊ/ is pronounced as /a/ or /ɔ/, giving ‘moths’ or ‘mouts.’ To correct: practice the dental contact for /ð/ with the tongue gently touching the upper teeth, ensure voicing carries into the /z/; keep your jaw relaxed but steady for a clean /aʊ/ before the /ð/.
In general, /maʊðz/ is stable, but /ð/ can be devoiced in some regional speech, producing partial /t/ or /d/ in certain dialects. US and UK usually render /ð/ clearly; some US speakers may voice the following /z/ more strongly. Australian English tends toward clearer enunciation of /ð/ but may reduce vowel length slightly in casual speech, keeping /z/ robust. The rhoticity of /r/ is not involved here, but overall vowel quality of /aʊ/ can shift slightly with accent.”
The difficulty centers on the dental fricative /ð/ and the voiced /z/ following it in a rapid cluster after a strong diphthong /aʊ/. Many non-native speakers substitute /d/ or /t/ for /ð/, or merge the end with a voiceless /s/. Training the precise tongue position—tip gently between upper and lower teeth—and maintaining voicing through the /z/ helps clarity. Focus on the transition from /aʊ/ to /ð/ and then /z/ with steady airflow and light jaw tension.”
Note the final cluster /ðz/ is a short, sharp combination. Practice emphasizing the /ð/ with a deliberate tap of the tongue on the upper teeth, then glide into the /z/. This helps prevent a weak or clipped /z/ and avoids turning it into /s/ or /z/ without proper dental contact. You’ll want a quick but audible /ð/ closure before voicing /z/.”
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