/pɹəˈfɛsɚz/
Say it backProfessors is the plural of professor, referring to people who hold professorial appointments at colleges or universities. It denotes individuals who teach, conduct scholarly work, or supervise research. The word carries academic prestige and is commonly used in formal or semi-formal contexts to describe faculty members collectively.
"The professors met to discuss the new curriculum changes."
"Several professors attended the conference to present their research."
"In the department meeting, professors reviewed student assessments."
You pronounce it pro-FES-sers with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US /prəˈfɛsərz/, UK /prəˈfesəz/, AU /prəˈfesəz/. Start with a neutral schwa in the first syllable, then a clear, short /ɛ/ in the stressed syllable, followed by a relaxed /s/ and a voiced /ər/ before the final /z/. Mouth positions: lips neutral, tongue high for /ɪ/? No; for /ɛ/ raise mid-front, the jaw drops slightly. Practice saying 'professional' first to feel the /prəˈfɛs/ chunk, then add the final /ərz/ with a light, voiced z.
Common mistakes include: (1) misplacing stress as pro-FES-sors with the stress on the first syllable; (2) pronouncing the second syllable as /ˈfɪs/ or /fəˈsəs/ by inserting a lax vowel; (3) pronouncing the final -ers as /ərz/ with a strong, staccato /z/ instead of a softer, continuant /ərz/. Correction: emphasize /ˈfɛs/ with a clear /ɛ/ in the stressed syllable, keep the second syllable short and crisp, and glide into a light /ərz/ with a voiced /z/ that’s not overly loud.
In US English, the final /r/ is rhotic and clearly heard before the final /z/. In UK English, non-rhotic varieties may drop the /r/ or vocalize it weakly, yielding /prəˈfesəz/ with a shorter, less rhotic finale. Australian English tends to be rhotic but with a more centralized vowel /ɐ/ in some contexts and a slightly broader /æ/ or /e/ in the /ɛ/ nucleus. IPA references: US /prəˈfɛsərz/, UK /prəˈfesəz/, AU /prəˈfesəz/.
It’s challenging because of the two unstressed syllables surrounding a stressed /fɛ/ nucleus and the cluster /z/ at the end. The transition into the final /əz/ requires a quick, light schwa before the /z/ to avoid yawning into a longer /ər/ or /əz/. Also, speakers often mispronounce the plural ending as /s/ or /z/ without voicing, or they misplace the stress. Focus on a clean /ˈfɛs/ and a rapid but relaxed /ərz/.
A distinctive feature is balancing the voiced alveolar fricative /z/ at the end with the preceding /r/ or schwa in fast speech. In careful speech, you’ll keep /ər/ unstressed and allow the final /z/ to stay sonorant but unobtrusive. The unique challenge is maintaining the /ɜː/ or /ə/ in the second syllable’s second vowel while delivering a crisp /z/—especially in rapid academic discourse.
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US: rhotic, clear /r/ and full /ɚ/ in the middle; UK: non-rhotic or weak /r/, shorter /ə/ in unstressed syllables; AU: rhotic with slightly broader vowels, more centralized /ə/ in unstressed positions. IPA anchors: US /prəˈfɛsərz/, UK /prəˈfesəz/, AU /prəˈfesəz/. Focus on the second syllable: /ˈfɛs/; ensure the /ɛ/ is crisp and not reduced to /ə/. Final /ərz/ should be a quick, lightly voiced ending.
Professors derives from the Latin word professor, from profiteri meaning 'to declare publicly, profess, admit, acknowledge.' The Latin noun professor, ‘a person who publicly declares or teaches,’ entered English in the late Middle Ages via Old French as professeur. In early English usage, professor referred to someone who teaches or reveals knowledge, often in a church or scholarly setting. By the 15th–16th centuries, it broadened to denote an academic rank, indicating a person who authors and teaches in higher education. The plural form professors emerged as a natural extension of the noun with the English plural -s sibilant, aligning with terms like doctors and masters. Over centuries, the word accumulated social prestige, tying to university faculties and the professional class of scholars. The pronunciation has settled into /prəˈfɛsərz/ in most dialects, with subtle shifts in vowel quality and syllable stress across regions. First known use in English literature traces a line through medieval scholastic contexts to modern academia, reflecting the evolution from religious scholastic instruction to secular, research-oriented university faculty roles.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "professors" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "professors"
-ors sounds
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