3 syllables: Per, ju, ry. Stress on Per.
PUR-jur-ee
/ˈpɝdʒɚi/
Perjury is pronounced PUR-jur-ee (/ˈpɝdʒɚi/). It has three syllables (Per-ju-ry), with the stress on "Per". Perjury is the act of lying or giving false testimony under oath, typically in a legal setting. It involves knowingly making statements you intend to misrepresent the truth, which can lead to criminal penalties. The term emphasizes the breach of sworn duty and formal accountability in judicial proceedings.
nounPerjury is the act of lying or giving false testimony under oath, typically in a legal setting. It involves knowingly making statements you intend to misrepresent the truth, which can lead to criminal penalties. The term emphasizes the breach of sworn duty and formal accountability in judicial proceedings.
- You might merge the /dʒ/ with the preceding vowel, producing something like /pɜːr/ instead of /pɜːrdʒ/. Ensure there is a brief, yet audible, /d/ before /ʒ/. - Dropping the second syllable; keep the schwa /ə/ clearly heard before /ri/. - Vowel quality drift: avoid turning /ɜː/ into /ɪ/ or /ɛ/. Work on maintaining a steady /ɜː/ in stressed position, then glide into /r/ or non-rhotic equivalent.
"The witness committed perjury by denying the events she had witnessed, despite the recorded testimony."
"He faced charges after investigators proved his statements in court were intentionally false, a clear case of perjury."
"The defense argued that the defendant's earlier affidavit contained perjury, undermining the integrity of the case."
You say perjury as PER-juh-ree, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU ˈpɜːrdʒəri. Start with the open-mid back rounded vowel /ɜː/ as in 'nurse', then the /dʒ/ as in 'judge', followed by /ə/ (schwa) and final /ri/ as 'ree' in 'tree'. Ensure the /r/ is rhotic in US and non-rhotic in UK/AU; this affects the preceding vowel quality slightly. Mouth position: jaw relaxed, lips neutral, tongue mid-high for /ɜː/ and the /dʒ/ blending smoothly to /ə/.
Common mistakes: (1) pronouncing /dʒ/ as a simple /ʒ/ or /tʃ/ instead of the affricate /dʒ/; correct by capping the lips and making a quick /d/ onset before /ʒ/. (2) Slurring the second syllable so it sounds like 'per-ju-ree' vs 'PER-jer-ee'—keep the /dʒ/ intact and avoid a separate 'j' sound. (3) Misplacing the stress or reducing /ɜː/ to /ɪ/; keep the long /ɜː/ or /ɜːr/ quality in stressed syllable. Practice with minimal pairs and slow articulation.
US tends toward rhotic /ɜːr/ with a more pronounced rhotic r after the vowel; UK/AU tend to non-rhotic or weakly rhotic, so /ɜː/ may sound like /ɜː/ with a softer post-vowel /ə/ before /ri/. Final -ry often reduced: US /ˈpɜːrdʒəri/; UK/AU /ˈpɜːdʒəri/. The /dʒ/ remains constant; rhythm is iambic-ish after the stressed first syllable. Also, US speakers may have clearer linking into the final /ri/ chunk.
Three challenges: (1) The /ɜːr/ vowel can be tricky in non-rhotic accents where a pronounced r is not produced; practice with 'nurse' and 'stir' to stabilize. (2) The /dʒ/ cluster requires a precise affricate onset; avoid a straight /ʒ/ or /ʃ/ sound. (3) The final /ri/ must be cleanly separated from /ɜː/ without an extra syllable; use a light schwa and then a crisp /ri/. Focused practice with IPA cues helps you anchor tongue position.
No silent letters. All letters contribute to the syllable structure: /p/ onset, /ɜː/ vowel, /dʒ/ consonant cluster, /ə/ schwa, /ri/ final syllable with a clear /r/ or non-rhotic variant depending on accent. The main attention points are the /ɜː/ vowel quality, the /dʒ/ onset, and the final /ri/ sequence.
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- US: rhotic r; /ɜːr/ preserved before /dʒ/; keep a stronger r-coloring and slightly longer /ɜː/. - UK: non-rhotic or weak rhotic; the /r/ is less pronounced; focus on the /ɜː/ vowel and the /dʒ/ blending, with a lighter trailing /ri/. - AU: often non-rhotic; similar to UK but with Australian vowel coloration; maintain /ɜː/ and crisp /dʒ/; end with /ri/.
Perjury derives from the Latin perjurium, formed from per- meaning
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Perjury" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Perjury" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Perjury"
-ity sounds
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