pruh-SESH-uhn
/pɹəˈsɛʃən/
procession is pronounced pruh-SESH-uhn (/pɹəˈsɛʃən/). Procession refers to a group of people moving forward in an orderly, ceremonial display, often in a formal or religious context. It can also describe the act of moving forward along a designated route in a organized sequence. The term emphasizes movement, order, and public visibility within a planned event.
Procession refers to a group of people moving forward in an orderly, ceremonial display, often in a formal or religious context. It can also describe the act of moving forward along a designated route in a organized sequence. The term emphasizes movement, order, and public visibility within a planned event.
"The town held a solemn procession to honor the veterans."
"A religious procession wound slowly through the streets, led by a choir."
"Security escorted the dignitaries as a ceremonial procession formed."
Pronounce it as pro-CESS-ion with secondary stress on the second syllable: /prəˈsɛʃ.ən/ (US/UK). In many varieties, the middle “ssi” yields a /s/ + /ʃ/ combination: /ˈsɛʃ/; the final “-tion” is /-ən/ or /-ʃən/ depending on the dialect. Tip: keep the “cess” cluster tight, avoid a hard /s/ at the end, and let the final syllable relax into a schwa. Audio references: Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries provide pronunciation audio for /prəˈses.ən/ or /prəˈsɛʃn̩/ depending on transcription.
Common errors: (1) Overpronouncing the middle /s/ as /sə/ or turning /ʃ/ into /s/; (2) Misplacing stress, saying pro-CESS-tion with wrong emphasis; (3) Ending with a clipped /n/ instead of a soft /ən/ or /n̩/. Correction tips: keep the mid vowel short and accurate /ˈsɛʃ/ or /ˈses/, release the final schwa freely, and practice a quick but light final /ən/.
US: /prəˈsɛʃən/ with clear /ʃ/ in the stressed syllable, r-colored vowel not typical; UK: /prəˈses(j)ən/ with a light /j/ in some transcriptions and sometimes a more rounded second vowel; AU: /prəˈsɛʒ(ə)n/ or /prəˈsesən/ depending on speaker, often a softer /ʒ/ sound or /s/ depending on the region. Core: stress on second syllable; middle consonant cluster softened in many accents.
Key challenges: the /ˈsɛʃ/ cluster combines a sibilant /s/ with the /ʃ/ sound; the vowel quality in the stressed syllable shifts slightly across accents, and the final /ən/ can become a syllabic /n̩/ or reduce to a schwa, depending on speech rate and accent. Mastery requires fluency with the /s/ + /ʃ/ transition and controlled final vowel, especially in rapid or connected speech.
Yes. The middle segment often sounds like /ˈsɛʃ/ rather than a hard /s/; ensure you’re not pronouncing it as /ˈpɹoʊsɛd͡ʒən/ (which would imply a different root idea). Focus on the /s/ followed by /ʃ/ blend, keeping the mouth rounded for the /ʃ/ and leading into a light, neutral final /ən/.
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Procession derives from the Middle English word procession, from Old French procession (12th–13th centuries) from late Latin processio, from Latin procedere ‘to go forward, advance’. The Latin root is pro- ‘forward’ plus cadere ‘to fall’ in some evolution paths, but in this context the sense shifts to ‘a going forward’ or ‘advancing’, aligning with movement rather than falling. The concept of a formal, organized forward movement in public space emerged in medieval and early modern ceremonial life, where processions served religious, civic, and state functions. The word’s evolution tracks the expansion of public ritual and procession types, from religious liturgies to secular parades. First known uses in English appear in the 13th century, with continued usage in legal and ceremonial diction. Over time, “procession” retained its core sense of orderly forward movement, but broadened to refer to any organized sequence of individuals or objects advancing together, such as a processional sequence at a ceremony or a statutory procession in civic life.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "procession" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "procession" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "procession"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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