4 syllables: Pla, gi, ar, ism. Stress on Pla.
PLAY-jur-iz-uhm
/ˈpleɪdʒɚˌɪzəm/
Plagiarism is pronounced PLAY-jur-iz-uhm (/ˈpleɪdʒɚˌɪzəm/). It has four syllables (Pla-gi-ar-ism), with the stress on "Pla". Plagiarism is the act of using another person’s words, ideas, or work without proper attribution, presenting them as your own. It is a form of intellectual dishonesty that can range from copying exact text to closely paraphrasing ideas without giving credit. In academic and professional contexts, plagiarism violates ethical standards and often carries serious consequences.
nounPlagiarism is the act of using another person’s words, ideas, or work without proper attribution, presenting them as your own. It is a form of intellectual dishonesty that can range from copying exact text to closely paraphrasing ideas without giving credit. In academic and professional contexts, plagiarism violates ethical standards and often carries serious consequences.
"The professor warned that even unintentional plagiarism could lead to disciplinary action."
"She faced charges of plagiarism after many passages in her thesis matched articles published earlier."
"Universities require students to submit original work and cite sources to avoid plagiarism."
Plagiarism is pronounced /ˈpleɪ.dʒɚˌɪz.əm/ in US English, with emphasis on the first syllable. The middle cluster often reduces to /dʒɚ/ for the unstressed portion, and the final /-ɪz.əm/ ends with a light schwa and a final /m/. In careful speech you’ll hear ｐl- /pleɪ/ (like ‘play’) + /dʒə/ (the subtle yod/eritative sound) + /-riz/ or /-ɪz/ + /-əm/. Audio resources like Pronounce or Forvo can provide native examples.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (trying PLA-gi-AR-ism), mispronouncing the /dʒ/ as a hard /d/ or /j/ sound, and rounding the final /-ism/ group too much (saying ‘plagi-azm’). Correct by: keeping the /ˈpleɪ/ strong, using a clear /dʒ/ as in 'judge' for the /dʒ/ cluster, and ending with a short, clipped /ɪz.əm/ rather than a drawn-out /iːzəm/. Practicing the sequence in slow tempo helps cement the stress and vowel quality.
In US English, the word is /ˈpleɪ.dʒə.rɪ.zəm/ or /-rɪ.zəm/ with a rhotacized middle (the 'er' sound). UK English often renders it /ˈpleɪ.dʒɪː.rɪ.zm/ or /-rɪz(ə)m/, with a shorter, less rhotic middle; AU tends toward /ˈpleɪ.dʒə.rɪ.zəm/ with a flatter /ə/ in the first syllable and less pronounced /r/ in non-rhotic contexts. Overall, the main variation is rhoticity and the vowel quality of the second syllable; the second syllable’s vowel sound shifts slightly between /ə/ and /ɪ/ across accents.
The challenge lies in the tricky /dʒ/ cluster after /ˈpleɪ/ and the unstressed, reduced second syllable. The middle ‘ga’ turns into a soft /ɡə/ or /dʒə/ depending on the speaker, which can blur the boundary between /pleɪ/ and /dʒə/. Additionally, the final /zəm/ or /zəm/ blends quickly in natural speech, requiring careful timing to avoid a syllabic /z/. Focusing on the contrast between the strong initial syllable and the light final can help you synchronize the rhythm.
A unique aspect is the contrastive nature of /pleɪ/ vs /dʒə/ in the second syllable; the syllable boundary can be an anchor for the entire word. You’ll often hear a near-consonant blend /dʒə/ or /ɪˈdʒeər/ depending on speaker; the ending /-zəm/ is light and quick. Emphasize the second syllable lightly but clearly so the /dʒ/ feature remains salient without becoming a long vowel sound.
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Plagiarism traces to the Latin word plagiarius, meaning ‘kidnapper’ or ‘kidnapper of writers.’ The root plagium, from plag- ‘to seize,’ entered Latin legal and literary language in the late medieval period to describe the act of stealing another’s writings. In 18th- to 19th-century English, the term broadened to include the theft of ideas or literary copies, especially in academic settings. The modern sense crystallized in the 19th century as universities and journals formalized policies against submitting others’ work as one’s own. The word’s journey reflects longstanding concerns about authorship, attribution, and the protection of intellectual property across legal and educational domains. Today, plagiarism is widely recognized as a breach of ethical scholarship, with explicit guidelines detailing citations, quotations, and paraphrase standards to preserve originality while acknowledging sources.
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Words that rhyme with "Plagiarism"
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