3 syllables: Per, cus, sion. Stress on cus.
pur-KUHSH-uhn
/pɚˈkʌʃən/
Percussion is pronounced pur-KUHSH-uhn (/pɚˈkʌʃən/). It has three syllables (Per-cus-sion), with the stress on "cus". Percussion is a noun referring to instruments that produce sound when struck, such as drums and xylophones, or to the act of striking itself. It also denotes the percussion section in an orchestra or band. The term is used in musicology, instrument classification, and performance contexts to describe material that yields sound through impact.
nounPercussion is a noun referring to instruments that produce sound when struck, such as drums and xylophones, or to the act of striking itself. It also denotes the percussion section in an orchestra or band. The term is used in musicology, instrument classification, and performance contexts to describe material that yields sound through impact.
How to Pronounce Percussion
"The percussion section kept a steady rhythm throughout the concert."
"He studied percussion at the conservatory and specialized in African drums."
"When setting up the stage, they placed the percussion near the drums for easy access."
Pronunciation is per-CUS-sion, with the primary stress on the second syllable. In IPA for general American: /pərˈkəʃən/. The first syllable is unstressed, the second has primary stress, and the final syllable is a schwa followed by n. You’ll often hear the combination 'per-KU-shun' in rapid speech. For practice, say purr-kush-uhn and keep the tongue relaxed in the first syllable.
Common errors: 1) Stressing the first syllable as in per-CUSSION, which makes it sound like a verb form; 2) Pronouncing the middle vowel as a pure “uh” rather than a schwa + short /ʃ/; 3) Dropping the final /n/ or turning /ʃən/ into /ʃən/ with a tougher ending. Correct by practicing /pərˈkəʃən/ with a light, quick second syllable and a soft, quick final ‘n’.
In US English, /pərˈkʌʃən/ is common in some dialects, but standard is /pərˈkəʃən/ with a schwa. UK English generally uses /pəˈkʌʃən/ or /pəˈkjuːʃən/ in some accents. Australian English tends toward /pəˈkəʃən/ or /pəˈkɜːʃən/ with non-rhoticity and a rounded /ə/ in the first syllable. The key is the middle vowel; rhoticity affects how 'er' and 'or' sounds collapse or separate across accents.
Difficulties include the unstressed first syllable, which often reduces to a schwa, and the mid vowel in the second syllable, which can shift between /ə/ and /ʌ/ depending on speaker and region. The /ʃ/ consonant in the second syllable is tricky if you’re not used to post-alveolar fricatives, and the final /ən/ can reduce to /ən/ or.merge into a nasalized ending. Practice by isolating the /ˈkə/ portion and keeping the /ʃ/ crisp.
Yes. The word has a strong medial consonant cluster /kɜ/ followed by /ʃən/; beginners often misplace the /k/ and glide into /ɡ/ or mispronounce the /ʃ/ as /s/ in fast speech. The recommended approach is to hold the /k/ briefly, then release into a clean /ʃ/ before the final /ən/. Emphasize the /ˈkə/ onset of the stressed syllable for natural rhythm.
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Percussion comes from the Latin percussio, from percutere meaning to strike through or beat. The root per- means through, and quatere or quatere variants relate to striking or shaking. The English adoption appears in the late Middle Ages, aligning with the broader classification of musical instruments by their method of sound production. In music theory, percussion has evolved from being a general term for striking actions to a specific family of percussion instruments (membranophones, idiophones, etc.). The modern sense emphasizes instruments that produce sound primarily by impact with a stick, mallet, hand, or beater. The word was well established by the 17th–18th centuries as orchestral and military bands expanded percussion roles. Over time, “percussion” also adopted a metonymic use in studios and ensembles to refer to the players and setup as a whole. First known use in English literature can be traced to technical writings and music treatises of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, where composers and teachers discussed timbre and the orchestral balance created by percussion voices.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Percussion" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Percussion"
-ion sounds
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