/ˈnɑtʃəz/
Say it backNotches refers to small indentation marks or gaps, or to increments or levels marked as notches on a ruler or dial. The plural form indicates multiple such marks or divisions. In usage, it often describes features, degrees, or distinctions that create measurable steps or points of reference.
"The old wooden ruler had faint notches every millimeter."
"He carved notches into the staff to count the days."
"The window frame bore notches that aligned with the sill."
Notches is pronounced /ˈnɒt͡ʃɪz/ in UK English and /ˈnɑːt͡ʃɪz/ or /ˈnɑt͡ʃɪz/ in many US varieties. The stress falls on the first syllable. Start with the /n/ sound, followed by a short /ɒ/ (UK) or /ɑː/ (US), then the /t͡ʃ/ blend as in 'match', ending with a voiced /ɪz/ (the z is voiced). Think “NOTCH-iz” with a quick /t͡ʃ/ snap.
Common mistakes include saying /ˈnoʊtʃɪz/ with a long 'o' as in 'note' and mispronouncing the /t͡ʃ/ as two sounds /t/ + /ʃ/. Some learners also add an extra syllable, saying /ˈnɒ-tʃɪz/ or /ˈnɔːt͡ʃɪz/ unevenly. To correct: keep the /t͡ʃ/ cluster as a single affricate, ensure short, crisp /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ vowel before it, and maintain primary stress on the first syllable. End with a clean /ɪz/ rather than a separate vowel sound.
US: /ˈnɑt͡ʃɪz/ with rhotic r absence in the word itself; UK: /ˈnɒt͡ʃɪz/ with shorter /ɒ/; Australia: typically /ˈnɒt͡ʃɪz/ or /ˈnɔːt͡ʃɪz/ depending on speaker; vowel quality in UK tends toward a shorter /ɒ/ as in 'lot', US tends to /ɑ/ or /ɒ/ depending on regional vowel set; rhoticity does not apply within the word, but surrounding syllables may reveal rhotics in US. Overall, the /t͡ʃ/ blend remains constant across accents.
Two main challenges: the /t͡ʃ/ blend after a short vowel can be tricky when the vowel is reduced in fast speech, leading to mis-timing or a /t/ followed by /ʃ/. The second is achieving the exact vowel quality before /t͡ʃ/—short /ɒ/ vs. /ɑː/—which changes across dialects. Practicing the /t͡ʃ/ as a single unit and anchoring the vowel duration with a tight jaw helps produce a crisp notch.
Attention to the final /z/ is important. Ensure voicing is maintained; the z should be crisp and not collapse into a vowel or a more relaxed schwa. The transition from /t͡ʃ/ to /ɪ/ can be rapid, so focus on keeping a clean single affricate at the syllable boundary and a short, lax /ɪ/ before the final /z/. This yields a precise NOTCH-iz.
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Notches comes from the plural of notch, from Old English naku?ten (note the older form: notc, noutcen), related to Dutch noot? or German Nutsch? The key is a mark or indentation made to count or designate the degrees of something. The semantic drift moved from physical marks (gouges or cuts) to named points of time, levels, or steps. In Middle English usage, notche referred to a cut or incision; by later centuries, it more specifically signified a small notch or indentation used for measurement or reference. The modern plural notches preserves the sense of multiple marks serving as points of reference on scales, rulers, guitars (fret notches), or dials. The word’s evolution tracks a shift from a concrete mark to an abstract unit dividing a continuum into discrete steps. First known uses appear in technical or navigational contexts where precise markings were essential for alignment or measurement, then extending to generic counts of divisions in various tools and devices.
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Words that rhyme with "notches"
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