2 syllables: Por, poise. Stress on Por.
PAWR-puhs
/ˈpɔɹpəs/
Porpoise is pronounced PAWR-puhs (/ˈpɔɹpəs/). It has two syllables (Por-poise), with the stress on "Por". Porpoise is a small-to-medium marine mammal with a rounded head and a short beak, closely related to dolphins. It is also used figuratively to mean someone who pretends to be something they’re not, though this sense is chiefly literary. In ordinary speech, the word refers to the mammal and is pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable. 50-80 words.
nounPorpoise is a small-to-medium marine mammal with a rounded head and a short beak, closely related to dolphins. It is also used figuratively to mean someone who pretends to be something they’re not, though this sense is chiefly literary. In ordinary speech, the word refers to the mammal and is pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable. 50-80 words.
"The porpoise swam alongside the boat, surfacing for brief breaths."
"A porpoise was spotted near the harbor during calm morning waters."
"I mispronounced porpoise once, which confused the crew during the boat tour."
Porpoise is pronounced with primary stress on the first syllable: US/UK/AU /ˈpɔːr.pɔɪs/. Start with a rounded, open back vowel for the first syllable, then move to a high-front or mid-front glide for the second syllable: /pɔɪ/. The second syllable ends with the /s/ sound. Listen for a brief vowel before the /r/ cluster and avoid adding a schwa. IPA guidance helps keep the /ɔː/ in both syllables clear. Practice by saying ‘POR’-’POISE’ in a quick, even tempo, avoiding extra consonant insertions.
Two common errors are: (1) misplacing the vowel in the second syllable, saying /poʊs/ or /poɪs/ with a rounded diphthong that leans toward /oʊ/ or /oɪ/; (2) adding an extra syllable or weakening the first syllable so it sounds like poR-poise or poPOR-poise. Correct by keeping the second syllable as /pɔɪs/ and ensuring primary stress on the first syllable with /ˈpɔːr/ followed quickly by /pɔɪs/. Use minimal pair practice with ‘porpoise’ vs ‘purpose’ to train rhythm.
In US and UK, the first syllable uses a broad /ɔː/ (US/UK /ˈpɔːr/), while the second syllable uses /pɔɪs/ with a rising diphthong. Australian English tends toward a slightly flatter /ɔː/ in the first syllable and a smoother /ɔɪ/ in the second, with less rhoticity on the first consonant cluster. The /r/ is rhotic in US and AU accents but not as prominent in some UK dialects; still, you’ll hear /ˈpɔːr.pɔɪs/ overall. The key differences are vowel quality and rhoticity impact on the first syllable’s r-coloring.
The difficulty lies in the transition between the first syllable’s broad /ɔː/ and the second syllable’s /ɔɪ/ diphthong, which creates a noticeable vowel shift. The /r/ cluster after the first vowel can also be less prominent depending on the accent, causing a potential misplacement of the syllable break. Practicing the rapid alternation between /ˈpɔːr/ and /pɔɪs/ helps; keep the lips rounded for /ɔː/ and glide smoothly into /ɔɪ/ without adding extra vowels or breaking the word. IPA awareness is essential here.
Porpoise has a distinct two-syllable rhythm with primary stress on the first syllable and a tight, clipped second syllable. The end /s/ is crisp rather than buzzy, so avoid voicing into the /z/; keep it /s/. The first syllable’s /ɔː/ should be long enough to approach the /r/ without merging, especially in careful speech. Listen to natural recordings and mimic the cadence, ensuring the second syllable lands on /ɔɪs/ with a clear final /s/.
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Porpoise entered English from Middle English porpois, a blend of porpoise from Old French porc-porce, ultimately tracing to Latin porpoises and Old French porpris. The term likely reflects a diminutive or descriptive label for a stockier, rounded-faced animal compared to larger dolphins. First attested in the 13th century, the word evolved in marine biology to denote the small-to-middle-sized toothed cetacean commonly referred to as porpoises, distinguishing them from true dolphins by skull morphology and tooth shape. Over time, the term has retained its primary zoological meaning, while figurative usage (“poseur”) appears in literature as a playful metaphor for someone who pretends to be something they’re not. The semantic shift is not broad but appears in idiomatic phrases and cultural references, often in maritime storytelling and nature documentary narration. Overall, the root concept centers on a small, cetacean animal with a blunt snout, later clarified through taxonomic distinctions between porpoises and dolphins in maritime science texts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Porpoise" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Porpoise" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Porpoise"
-ise sounds
-ice sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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