3 syllables: Prin, cess, es. Stress on Prin.
PRIN-ses-iz
/ˈpɹɪnsɛsɪz/
Princesses is pronounced PRIN-ses-iz (/ˈpɹɪnsɛsɪz/). It has three syllables (Prin-cess-es), with the stress on "Prin". Princesses is the plural form of princess, referring to multiple royal female rulers or figures. It is pronounced with final -es as /-ɪz/ in many contexts, and the word typically carries a light, unstressed first syllable and a stressed second syllable, producing a melodic, multi-syllabic rhythm suitable for formal or narrative use. Overall, it denotes a group of princess-centered entities or roles, whether fictional or real.
nounPrincesses is the plural form of princess, referring to multiple royal female rulers or figures. It is pronounced with final -es as /-ɪz/ in many contexts, and the word typically carries a light, unstressed first syllable and a stressed second syllable, producing a melodic, multi-syllabic rhythm suitable for formal or narrative use. Overall, it denotes a group of princess-centered entities or roles, whether fictional or real.
- You might compress the word to two syllables by skipping the middle vowel and saying 'prin-ses' instead of 'prin-cess-es'. Fix: clearly vocalize the middle /ɪs/ sequence as its own beat to avoid running it into the next syllable. - Another error is placing the primary stress on the first syllable (PRIN-cess-es). Fix: relearn the standard stress pattern for multi-syllable words of this type by practicing the second syllable as the peak: pri-NES-ses. - Finally, some speakers mispronounce the final /ɪz/ as a plain /z/ or /s/ without the preceding short vowel. Fix: anchor the tongue for /ɪ/ before the /z/ and keep the final vowel audible. Practicing slow, then with tempo can fix this.
How to Pronounce Princesses
"The princesses gathered on the balcony to wave at the crowd."
"Several princesses from different kingdoms attended the festival."
"In the story, the princesses must work together to save the realm."
Pronounce as /ˈprɪn.sɪs.ɪz/ (US) or /ˈprɪn.ses.ɪz/ (UK/AU) with the primary stress on the second syllable: prɪ-NSEs-siz. Think: first syllable quick and light, second syllable carries a short /ɪ/ before an unstressed /s/ blend, and the final /ɪz/ or /ɪz/ sound. Mouth position: lips relaxed, tongue high-mid for the /ɪ/ vowel, slight alveolar contact for the /z/ at the end. Reference audio can be found in standard dictionaries and Forvo entries for “princesses.”
Common errors include misplacing the stress (saying pri-NESS-es) and inserting an extra syllable (prin-cess-es) or omitting the middle vowel sound (prins-ses). Another frequent slip is compressing the final /ɪz/ into a simple /s/ or /z/ without the preceding short /ɪ/ vowel. To correct: practice the middle syllable as /sɪ/ or /sə/ depending on rhythm, ensure the second syllable carries the peak of the word, and finish with a crisp /ɪz/ or /əz/.
In US English, the word tends to be /ˈprɪn.sɪs.ɪz/ with a clear /ɪ/ in the second syllable and a rhotacized or non-rhotacized ending depending on speaker. UK English leans toward /ˈprɪn.ses.ɪz/ with a slightly shorter first vowel and a more compact middle syllable; the /s/ blends are crisper. Australian English mirrors US or UK patterns but may exhibit vowel height differences and more pronounced final /ɪz/ depending on speaker region. Practice listening to representative sources to tune your ear to the local rhythm and vowel quality.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic rhythm and the boundary between the middle syllable /sɪ/ and the final /ɪz/. English stress shifts can misplace emphasis, and the final -es adds a voiced /z/ that can blend with the preceding sibilant if spoken quickly. Additionally, the word’s spelling masks the pronunciation, inviting corrections in non-native learners who expect a simple -es ending. Focus on the middle vowel clarity and a clean final /ɪz/ for natural articulation.
The unique feature is the three-syllable sequence ending with a voiced fricative cluster -ses-ɪz, where the middle /s/ acts as a bridge between the two sibilant sounds. This makes the word feel longer and more musical than a typical plural ending. Emphasize the middle syllable with a light schwa or unreduced /ɪ/ and sustain a precise, audible final /ɪz/ to avoid a clipped finish.
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- US: emphasize rhoticity lightly in connected speech, but in Princesses the final -es remains non-rhotic. Vowels typically diphthongize less in rapid speech, keep /ɪ/ crisp. - UK: shorter first vowel and crisper mid-syllable; be mindful of non-rhotic endings; ensure /ˈprɪn.ses.ɪz/ with a strong middle /s/ consonant. - AU: balanced vowel lengthening similar to US; some speakers show slight rounding of the lips on the final /ɪz/. Reference IPA: /ˈprɪn.sɪs.ɪz/ (US) /ˈprɪn.ses.ɪz/ (UK) /ˈprɪn.sɪ.sɪz/ (AU).
Princesses comes from the singular princess, formed in English by adding the plural suffix -es. Princess itself originates from Old French princesse, ultimately from Latin principissa, feminine of princeps meaning chief or leader. The Latin root princeps combines prince- (first, chief) with -ps (person/agent suffix). The English adoption of princess likely occurred in Middle English (circa 14th century) via Old French influences as medieval courtly language, aligning gendered titles with social ranks. The plural -es reflects regular English pluralization for words ending in -ss in earlier forms that influenced spelling conventions; this pluralization coexists with pronunciation shifts that historically reduced final consonant clusters and softened the -es to a final /-ɪz/ or /-ɪz/ depending on phonetic context. Over time, the pronunciation stabilized with the final -es pronounced as /-ɪz/ after a sibilant or voiced consonant, while the stem 'princess' retained stress on the second syllable in most polysyllabic contexts (prin-CESS-es). The first known English attestations date from the medieval period as social roles solidified in literature and court records, with the modern pluralization and usage fully embedded in contemporary English vocabulary by the 16th century. The evolution reflects shifts in honorifics, gendered titles, and the persistence of French-derived spelling patterns in English vocabulary.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Princesses" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Princesses"
-ses sounds
-ces sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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