PRAHK-see
/ˈpɹɑksi/
proxy is pronounced PRAHK-see (/ˈpɹɑksi/). Proxy is a noun or verb referring to a figure who acts on behalf of another or to a substitute that stands in for someone or something. It can also describe something used to mask or hide the true source, function, or identity. In computing, it denotes a server or device that acts as an intermediary for requests from clients seeking resources from other servers.
Proxy is a noun or verb referring to a figure who acts on behalf of another or to a substitute that stands in for someone or something. It can also describe something used to mask or hide the true source, function, or identity. In computing, it denotes a server or device that acts as an intermediary for requests from clients seeking resources from other servers.
"The company appointed a proxy to vote on its behalf at the shareholder meeting."
"She used a proxy to attend the conference because she was unable to travel."
"We set up a proxy server to anonymize our online requests."
Pronounce it as PROH-kee, with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈproʊ.ksi/ in US and UK English. In some British varieties you’ll also hear /ˈprɒk.si/ where the first vowel is shorter and more open. The second syllable starts with an /s/ followed by /i/ (sounds like ‘see’). Mouth position: start with rounded, mid-back vowel for /oʊ/ or a shorter /ɒ/ depending on accent, then glide into an /k/ or /ks/ blend before the /i/ vowel. Ensure the /ksi/ is articulated as a sharp /k/ plus /si/ rather than a single long /ksi:/ sequence. Audio cues: try saying “pro” quickly, then add “xy” with a quick, unstressed /si/.
Two common errors: 1) Slurring the /ksi/ into a long /ksiː/ or /kziː/; you should land on a crisp /k/ immediately followed by /si/. 2) Misplacing force on the second syllable, making it an unnecessary emphasis. Correction: clearly glide from /roʊ/ (or /ɒ/ in non-rhotic accents) into a distinct /ks/ cluster, then a short /i/; keep stress on the first syllable and avoid elongating the second syllable.
In US/UK, both typically use /ˈproʊ.ksi/ or /ˈprɒk.si/, with primary stress on the first syllable. US tends toward the /roʊ/ diphthong and a clearer /ks/ blend; UK often features a slightly shorter /ɒ/ and may have less rhoticity in some speakers. Australian English mirrors US patterns but can show a more centralized /ə/ in rapid speech and sometimes a lighter /r/ influence. The second syllable remains /ksi/ or /kzi/, but vowel quality and rhoticity subtly influence overall timbre.
The difficulty lies in the /ks/ sequence after the rounded vowel and the quick move from a diphthong to a consonant cluster in the second syllable. The /oʊ/ or /ɒ/ vowel can be tricky for non-native ears, and the /ksi/ blend requires precise timing between a hard /k/ release and the following /si/—a brief, sharp consonant transition that can blur in fast speech.
A unique aspect is the transition from vowel to the /ks/ cluster linking to the unstressed second syllable; some speakers reduce the second syllable slightly, rendering it almost like /kzi/ or even /ksi/ delivered rapidly. Pay attention to the exact release of the /k/ before the /s/ and avoid inserting an extra vowel between /k/ and /s/.
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Proxy originates from Middle English proxi, via Old French prosi or proce, from Latin proxius meaning near or proximate. The term adopted in the legal and commercial lexicon to describe someone authorized to act for another emerged in the late Middle Ages as trade and legal affairs expanded beyond one person to representatives. The sense of a substitute or surrogate developed in English by the 15th century, with later specialization in computing in the 20th century as networks required intermediaries to fetch or relay data. The word thereby acquired both a concrete agent-delegation meaning and a more abstract sense of an intermediary channel or gateway. In modern tech, proxy servers embody the metaphor of a stand-in that relays requests on behalf of a client, often providing anonymity or access control. The phonetic stress has remained on the first syllable, with the vowel quality of the first syllable reflecting the typical /proʊ/ pattern before the /ksi/ sequence in modern usage.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "proxy" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "proxy"
-oxy sounds
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