3 syllables: Pe, ri, gee. Stress on Pe.
PIR-ij-ee
/ˈpɪrɪdʒiː/
Perigee is pronounced PIR-ij-ee (/ˈpɪrɪdʒiː/). It has three syllables (Pe-ri-gee), with the stress on "Pe". Perigee is the point in an orbit that is nearest to the body it revolves around, typically used in reference to the Moon around Earth. It contrasts with apogee, the farthest point. The term combines Latin roots meaning “near Earth” and is used in astronomy and spaceflight contexts.
nounPerigee is the point in an orbit that is nearest to the body it revolves around, typically used in reference to the Moon around Earth. It contrasts with apogee, the farthest point. The term combines Latin roots meaning “near Earth” and is used in astronomy and spaceflight contexts.
"The Moon’s perigee this month caused higher tides and more noticeable wavy shorelines."
"Astronomers track perigee to predict gravitational effects on satellite trajectories."
"During the mission, engineers aimed to correct the satellite’s approach at perigee to conserve fuel."
Pronunciation: per-ih-JEE. IPA: US /ˈpɜr.ɪ.dʒiː/, UK /ˈpɜː.rɪ.dʒiː/, AU /ˈpɜː.rɪ.dʒiː/. Stress on the first syllable or second? Primary stress on the first syllable: PE-ri-gee, with the final /dʒiː/ (jee) sounding like “jee.” Mouth: start with a mid-back rounded vowel for /ɜr/ in American, then a light /ɪ/ for the second syllable, and end with /dʒiː/ as in “geek” without extra vowel before the i- sound. Audio reference: consult Cambridge or Oxford pronunciations or Forvo entry for “perigee” to hear the blended /ɜr/ + /ɪ/ + /dʒiː/ sequence.
Common mistakes: 1) Slurring the middle syllable to a quick /ɪ/ or /ɪə/ reducing to ‘peh-gee’; 2) Misplacing stress, say-ING on the second syllable instead of first; 3) Pronouncing /ˈpɜr.ɪ.dʒiː/ as /pə-ɡiː/ or /ˈpɪr.ə.dʒiː/. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable, ensure a clear /ɜr/ in the first syllable, maintain a distinct /dʒ/ before the final /iː/.
US: /ˈpɜr.ɪ.dʒiː/ with rhotic /ɜr/; UK: /ˈpɜː.rɪ.dʒiː/ often with a longer /ɜː/ and less rhotacism; AU: /ˈpɜː.rɪ.dʒiː/ similar to UK but with Australian vowel shift and non-rhotic tendencies in rapid speech. The final /iː/ remains long in all. Keep the /dʒ/ as a single palatal affricate; avoid inserting extra vowels between /ɜː/ and /dʒiː/.
Difficulties come from the combination of /ɜr/ in the first syllable, the light /ɪ/ in the second syllable, and the /dʒ/ onset before the final /iː/. This sequence can cause vowel merging or misarticulation of /ɜr/ and /ɪ/ and confusion around /dʒ/ vs /z/ in fast speech. Practice isolating and then blending: /ˈpɜr.ɪ.dʒiː/, emphasizing the /r/ and the /dʒ/ cluster to ensure a clean, accurate ending.
Uniquely, the word preserves a distinct /ɜr/ (or /ɜːr/ in non-rhotic accents) in the first syllable, which can be confusing for learners used to a muted /r/ in non-American pronunciations. The intervening /ɪ/ is brief, and the /dʒiː/ lands as a clean, voiced palatal affricate followed by a long /iː/. Focusing on keeping the /ɜː/ or /ɜr/ sound consistent before the /dʒ/ helps prevent trailing off into a schwa.
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US: rhotics are strong; maintain a clear /ɜr/ with a slightly stronger r-colouring before /ɪ/; UK: non-rhotic tendencies may soften /ɜː/ before /r/ in rapid speech. Emphasize the /dʒ/ as a single sound, not a split /dj/. AU: similar to UK with subtle vowel shifts; keep final /iː/ long and avoid shortening in connected speech. Vowel charts: /ɜː/ or /ɜr/ before /dʒiː/; /ɪ/ in the second syllable; /iː/ at the end. IPA references: US /ˈpɜr.ɪ.dʒiː/, UK /ˈpɜː.rɪ.dʒiː/, AU /ˈpɜː.rɪ.dʒiː/.
Perigee originates from the Greek prefix peri- meaning “near” and Latinized Greek -geia from ge, meaning “Earth.” The term first appears in astronomical discourse in the 19th century, aligning with other orbital terms like perigee, apogee (from Greek apogēn meaning “farther away”). The compound form perigee was standardized to describe the point in an Earth-orbiting body’s path closest to Earth, particularly in lunar and satellite astronomy. Its usage broadened with space exploration in the mid-20th century, when precise orbital mechanics required clear distinctions between near and far orbital points. The etymology reflects a consistent pattern in celestial terminology: peri- (near) paired with a body (ge- Earth), analogous to perihelion (near Sun) and periastroon (near a star). The word’s technical sense is stable, though colloquial references may use “closest approach” in more general contexts. First known use in print aligns with formal astronomical texts from the late 1800s to early 1900s as telescope and orbital studies matured into modern astrophysics.
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Words that rhyme with "Perigee"
-ncy sounds
-asy sounds
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