3 syllables: Po, tpour, ri. Stress on ri.
poh-puur-EE
/ˌpoʊpʊˈɹi/
Potpourri is pronounced poh-puur-EE (/ˌpoʊpʊˈɹi/). It has three syllables (Po-tpour-ri), with the stress on "ri". Potpourri (noun) refers to a mixture, especially of dried flowers and spices, kept to perfume a room. It also denotes a miscellaneous collection or medley of items. In discourse, it can describe a varied assortment or a potpourri of topics, suggesting diversity within a single group.
nounPotpourri (noun) refers to a mixture, especially of dried flowers and spices, kept to perfume a room. It also denotes a miscellaneous collection or medley of items. In discourse, it can describe a varied assortment or a potpourri of topics, suggesting diversity within a single group.
How to Pronounce Potpourri
"The table was a potpourri of postcards, shells, and old photographs."
"Her presentation was a potpourri of anecdotes, data, and poetry."
"The festival featured a potpourri of music styles from rock to jazz to folk."
US/UK/AU pronunciation centers the second syllable: po-POO-ri. IPA: US: poʊˈpuːri, UK/AU: pɒˈpuːri. Begin with /poʊ/ or /pɒ/ depending on accent, then stress the /ˈpuː/ followed by /ri/. Mouth position: lips rounded for /oʊ/ or /ɒ/, tongue high for /uː/, then a relaxed syllable-final /ri/. Listen for the long /uː/ before the /ri/ and avoid extra syllable. Try saying “po” with a long vowel, then “POO” as a tense, rounded vowel, and finish with “ree”.” ,
Common mistakes include: 1) Misplacing the stress on the first syllable (po-POO-ri vs PO-poo-ri); ensure primary stress on the second syllable. 2) Shortening the /ˈpuː/ to a quick /pu/; keep a long /uː/ sound before the /ri/. 3) Reducing the final /ri/ to a dull /ri/ or /riː/; aim for a quick, light /ri/ with a light touch. Correct by practicing with a held /uː/ and crisp /ri/ transition.” ,
US English typically uses /poʊˈpuːri/, with a clear /oʊ/ and a strong /uː/ before the /ri/. UK/AU often present /pɒˈpuːri/ or /pəˈpuːri/, with a shorter initial vowel and non-rhotic r in careful speech. Rhoticity affects the final /ri/ realization minimally, but the preceding vowel quality shifts. Australia tends toward rhotic accents but preserves the /ˈpuːri/ nucleus; the key is maintaining the long /uː/ and a light, unstressed ending. In all, stress remains on the second syllable, but vowel quality subtly shifts by region.” ,
Difficult because you have a multi-syllable sequence with a stressed center: the long /uː/ in the second syllable and the light final /ri/ demand precise vowel length and clean syllable separation. Speakers often misplace stress or merge /puː/ with the preceding /poʊ/, producing po-POO-ree or po-poo-ree. Work on isolating /puː/ and keeping /ri/ as a quick, non-syllabic ending. Also, the French-origin spelling may prompt hesitation or mispronunciation in some readers; rely on the IPA and native pronunciation patterns.” ,
Potpourri is pronounced with all letters sounded in typical English; there are no silent letters here. The critical word feature is the secondary-stressed middle syllable: po-POO-ri. Ensure you do not reduce the /puː/ to /pu/ or elongate the final /ri/. Emphasize the long /uː/ and the light /ri/ for natural cadence.
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US: rhotic but often subtle in rapid speech; focus on a strong /r/ with a slightly American vowel color in /poʊ/. UK: more clipped initial /ɒ/ or /ə/, non-rhotic, but maintain the /ruː/ sequence; AU: similar to US but with broader /ɹ/ and flatter vowels. Key vowel notes: /oʊ/ vs /ɒ/ and /uː/ remains long. IPA references help you map mouth shapes: US /poʊˈpuːri/, UK/AU /pɒˈpuːri/ or /pəˈpuːri/. Use minimal pair contrasts to feel the shift: /poʊ/ vs /pɒ/; ensure lip rounding for /oʊ/ and /uː/ stays rounded.”,
Potpourri comes from the French pot-pourri, literally meaning 'rotten pot' originally from medieval culinary terms referring to a dish containing a mixture of leftovers. The phrase entered English in the 16th century via French, but the modern use shifted to describe a fragrant mixture of dried flowers and spices. The term’s spelling retained the hyphen and the noun form pot-pourri, even as English speakers anglicized pronunciation. The root pourri derives from pour-, to pour, and -ri a suffix in French indicating a collection or mix; historically, the imagery is of components poured together to create an aromatic blend. Over time, English usage broadened to refer to any heterogeneous assortment, not just fragrances. The concept traveled beyond horticultural contexts into arts and cultural discussions, where potpourri denotes a diverse compilation rather than a single, cohesive thing. First recorded English uses appear in early modern texts referencing scented mixtures, with broader metaphorical use appearing in 18th and 19th century literature as a symbol of variety within a context. In contemporary usage, potpourri remains a portable metaphor for eclectic collections, often invoked in discussions of media, topics, or events that blend styles and origins.
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Words that rhyme with "Potpourri"
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