Pregnancy is the condition or period of carrying a developing fetus within the uterus. It denotes the state from conception to birth and is commonly used in medical, social, and educational contexts. The term is also used metaphorically in phrases about potential or growth, but its primary meaning remains the gestational state in humans.
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- 400-600 words: • Common mistake: treating middle as a full vowel instead of a schwa. Correction: relax jaw and tongue, let the /nən/ glide, ensure the second syllable is unstressed. • Mistake: compressing into two syllables (PRE-ɡən.si). Correction: practice three clean syllables /ˈpreɡ.nən.si/ with slight pause between preɡ and nən. • Mistake: overemphasizing final /si/ or using a hard /s/ preceding a strong vowel. Correction: keep /nən/ in the center and the /s/ soft as in /si/.
- US: rhoticity less impactful on this word; focus on clear /ˈpreɡ.nən.si/; first vowel is a short /e/; AU/UK: similar three-syllable rhythm but vowel quality in /e/ tends toward /eɪ/ in some speakers when careful; Use IPA guides to monitor subtle shifts.
"Her pregnancy progressed normally, and she attended regular checkups."
"The workshop covered nutrition and exercise during pregnancy."
"Scientists study fetal development throughout pregnancy to monitor growth."
"There are many resources available to support families during pregnancy and after birth."
The word pregnancy comes from Middle English pregnancia, from Old French pregnance, from Latin grossesse, which itself derives from gravis meaning 'heavy' or 'weighty' with the suffix -antia in Latin indicating a state or condition. The Latin form gravitas influenced the sense of weightiness associated with pregnancy, while pregn- stems from the verb meaning 'to be with child' in various Romance languages. The transition into English solidified in the late Middle Ages, with early forms often paired with words like gravidity and gestation before pregnancy became the dominant term in medical and everyday usage. By the 16th century, pregnancy had established itself as the standard noun for the gestational period, retaining its comprehensible core meaning while expanding in usage to cover both clinical and common vernacular contexts. The semantic evolution reflects shifts in obstetric understanding and social discourse around motherhood, prenatal care, and the biology of human reproduction.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "pregnancy" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "pregnancy" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "pregnancy" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "pregnancy"
-ncy sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce as /ˈpreɡ.nən.si/. The stress is on the first syllable: PREG-. The middle vowel is a schwa in the second syllable, and the final 'cy' sounds like 'see' but with a soft 'i' as in /nsi/. Mouth positions: start with a rounded /p/ then /r/ with a slight trill, then /e/ as in 'bed' but shorter; the second syllable uses a relaxed /ə/; finish with /si/.
Common errors: 1) Truncating to two syllables (PRE-gan-see) by reducing the second syllable to a tight /æ/ or /æŋ/; correct with a relaxed /nən/ in the middle. 2) Overemphasizing the middle vowel, turning it into a non-schwa (/preɡˈron.si/); practice with a neutral /nən/.
In US, UK, and AU, the initial /ˈpreɡ/ and the final /si/ are similar, but rhoticity affects the E-syllable: US speakers may have a weaker /r/ influence only in connected speech; UK tends to a crisp /ˈpreɡ.nən.si/ without rhotic linking; AU often mirrors US in vowel quality with slightly broader diphthongs in the first vowel /ˈprɛɡnənsi/ depending on speaker.
The difficulty lies in maintaining three evenly-timed syllables with a reduced schwa in the middle and clear final /si/. The transition from the stressed syllable /ˈpreɡ/ to the unstressed /nən/ can produce a vowel shortening or an unclear middle syllable. Speakers often mispronounce as 'pregnant' or compress it to two syllables; focus on the light, relaxed middle syllable and the final /si/.
The final 'cy' can be confused with 's' or treated as a hard 'c'. In careful speech, ensure the ending is /si/ as in 'see', not /siː/ with lengthening outside of stressed speech; the final consonant here is a soft /s/ syllable ending, not a hard /z/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "pregnancy"!
- Shadowing: listen to native speakers saying 'pregnancy' in contexts. Repeat 20-30 seconds, matching rhythm. - Minimal pairs: 'pregnant' vs 'pregnancy' to calibrate final /si/ vs /t/; 'prey' vs 'pray' to calibrate initial /pr/; - Rhythm: practice three syllables with equal timing; use metronome 60-80 BPM while pronouncing. - Stress: ensure primary stress on first syllable; use 1-2 context sentences with natural intonation. - Recording: record yourself and compare with model; evaluate middle syllable clarity. - Context practice: 'During pregnancy, many changes occur.' 'Her pregnancy tests positive.' - Prosody: link to following words to study natural coarticulation.
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