3 syllables: Pro, gen, y. Stress on Pro.
PRAH-juh-nee
/ˈpɹɑdʒəni/
Progeny is pronounced PRAH-juh-nee (/ˈpɹɑdʒəni/). It has three syllables (Pro-gen-y), with the stress on "Pro". Progeny is a noun meaning one's offspring or descendants. It refers to the young produced by a person, couple, or line of descent, often used in formal or scholarly contexts. The term emphasizes biological lineage and heredity, typically in discussions of family, heredity, or evolutionary history.
nounProgeny is a noun meaning one's offspring or descendants. It refers to the young produced by a person, couple, or line of descent, often used in formal or scholarly contexts. The term emphasizes biological lineage and heredity, typically in discussions of family, heredity, or evolutionary history.
How to Pronounce Progeny
"The scientist traced the progeny of the rare plant to its resilient ancestor."
"Her latest novel explores the consequences of a family’s hidden progeny across generations."
"In the lecture, the professor discussed how various environmental factors influence progeny viability."
Pronounce as PROJ-uh-nee with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US ˈprɒdʒənɪ, UK prɒˈdʒɛnɪ, AU prəˈdʒɛnɪ. The middle consonant cluster 'dʒ' like
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress (unstressed first syllable). 2) Slurring the 'dʒ' as a simple 'j' or 'dg' sound; keep it as the affricate /dʒ/. 3) Reducing the middle vowel to a schwa in rapid speech; keep /ə/ before n. Practice: emphasize /dʒ/ and ensure you vocalize the second syllable with /ən/ or /ɛ/ depending on dialect.
US tends to /ˈprɒdʒənɪ/ with broad /ɒ/ and a clear /dʒ/. UK often /prɒˈdʒɛnɪ/ with a bit more centralized /ɒ/ and stress on the second syllable in some speakers, and AU is /prəˈdʒɛnɪ/ with a reduced first vowel and a stronger final /ɪ/. Dialectal vowel quality and rhoticity influence the exact vowels.
The word combines an affricate /dʒ/ with a mid vowel in a closed, unstressed second syllable, which can invite vowel reduction or mispronunciation of /ɒ/ vs /ɒː/. The sequence /dʒən/ or /dʒɛn/ requires precise tongue positioning: your tongue should rise to make the /dʒ/ and then relax quickly into a schwa or short /ɪ/. This tight cluster plus stress pattern makes it tricky.
There are no silent letters in progeny, but the challenge is articulating /dʒ/ clearly and maintaining proper vowel length in the first syllable while keeping the second syllable unstressed. Ensure the first syllable receives primary stress, and avoid turning /ɡən/ into a long /ɡən/ by shortening the vowel before the nasal.
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Progeny comes from the Middle English progenie, borrowed from Old French progenie, which itself derives from Latin proles 'offspring' or 'progen-'. The root Latin pro- means 'forth' or 'forward', and gignere 'to beget' gives the sense of generation or production. The term evolved in English to refer specifically to the descendants or offspring of a person or lineage. In early usage, progeny appeared in legal and genealogical contexts, gradually expanding into academic and literary registers. By the 17th–18th centuries, progeny was well established as a formal noun in English, often used in scientific discussions about heredity, breeding, and lineage. The word retains a slightly elevated, sometimes archaic tone, especially in formal writing or historical texts, and is frequently used when discussing genetic inheritance, family trees, or evolutionary history.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Progeny" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Progeny" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Progeny"
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