One syllable: Nurse.
nurs
/nɝs/
Nurse is pronounced nurs (/nɝs/). It has one syllable (Nurse), with the stress on "Nurse". Nurse is a person trained to care for the sick or infirm, typically in a hospital or clinic, under a doctor’s supervision. It also refers to the role or job title itself. In everyday speech, the word denotes a caregiver, often with responsibilities including monitoring patients, administering medications, and providing support. The term can also function as a verb in some contexts, meaning to nurse a drink or to care for someone with tenderness.
nounNurse is a person trained to care for the sick or infirm, typically in a hospital or clinic, under a doctor’s supervision. It also refers to the role or job title itself. In everyday speech, the word denotes a caregiver, often with responsibilities including monitoring patients, administering medications, and providing support. The term can also function as a verb in some contexts, meaning to nurse a drink or to care for someone with tenderness.
"The nurse checked my blood pressure and asked about my symptoms."
"In the hospital, the nurses coordinate care and respond quickly to patient needs."
"She worked as a nurse for over a decade before pursuing nursing leadership."
Nurse is pronounced with a single syllable /nɜːrs/ in US English and /nɜːs/ in UK/AU English. The core is a mid-central stressed vowel followed by an /r/ or a rhotic approximant depending on accent, ending with an s. Visualize lips relaxed, tongue central, and the /r/ sound lightly pronounced (even in rhotic speakers); in careful British speech the /r/ is not strongly released after the vowel. Use a short, crisp /s/ at the end. Audio resources: youglish for “nurse,” Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries provide audio.
Common mistakes include overpronouncing the /r/ in non-rhotic varieties, pronouncing the vowel as a pure /ɜː/ without the central quality, or inserting a schwa before the /r/ (nərse). Correction: keep a single syllable with a central vowel /ɜː/ in US, reduce any extra vowel movement, and then release into /s/ without adding a vowel after the /r/. Practice by isolating the vowel before the /s/, ensuring the /r/ is compact and not a full trill.
In US English, /nɜːrs/ with a rhotic /r/ is common, producing a liquid feel after the vowel. In many UK accents, the /r/ is non-rhotic in final positions; some speakers may glide to a lighter /ə/ or drop the /r/ after the vowel, giving /nɜːs/. Australian English often exhibits a mid-back rounded vowel quality with reduced post-vocalic r coloring, but still ends with a clear /s/. Listen to regional exemplars to match your target.
The challenge lies in the mid-central vowel quality /ɜː/ followed by a smooth, nearly simultaneous /r/ in rhotic varieties and a crisp /s/ ending. In non-rhotic accents, the /r/ is weaker or silent; this shifts vowel coloring and rhythm. The combination of a central vowel and a trailing /s/ can cause vowel reduction or insertion of a schwa for some learners, leading to ‘newse’ or ‘nerse’ variants. Focus on producing a clean central vowel and a tight end /s/.
Nurse challenges learners with the subtle central vowel /ɜː/ that doesn’t have a direct English vowel mirror in many languages. The tongue position is mid-central with slight retraction, then an immediate, unvoiced or lightly whispered /r/ (in rhotic accents) or a silent /r/ (non-rhotic). The result is a compact, quick single-syllable word that demands precise timing between the vowel, the terminal /s/, and final air release. Practice with minimal pairs emphasizing centralization and rhoticity.
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Nurse derives from the Old English word nourisan or spelled nourice, which referred to a nursemaid or someone who nourishes. Its roots trace to Latin nutricius ‘nourishing’ and Greek nutrition-related terms, but the major Old English form was nourig(e) or nurse, evolving into Middle English as nurse. Historically, the term originally applied to wet nurses who fed infants, with later usage broadening to caregivers providing medical and general care. By the 16th–17th centuries, nurse shifted toward the professional caregiver in medical settings, aligning with the rise of formal nursing roles in Europe. The modern sense centers on trained caregivers, especially in hospitals, with the title of registered or licensed nurse becoming standard in many countries by the 19th and 20th centuries. The semantic arc moved from a nurturing servant to a formal healthcare professional under medical supervision, while retaining its core ‘nourishing, caring’ connotation. First known Literary uses appear in Middle English medical texts and domestic instruction manuals; the professional hospital sense solidified with the modern nursing movement of the 19th century. Today, the word retains both a generalized caregiver meaning and a specialized professional designation, across various regions and healthcare systems.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Nurse" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Nurse" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Nurse"
-rse sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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