2 syllables: Pur, chase. Stress on Pur.
PUR-chuhs
/ˈpɝtʃəs/
Purchase is pronounced PUR-chuhs (/ˈpɝtʃəs/). It has two syllables (Pur-chase), with the stress on "Pur". Purchase (noun) refers to something acquired or procured, often involving payment. It can describe the item itself or the act of buying. In everyday use, it covers commercial transactions, inventory, or assets obtained by expenditure, and can be used in contexts from consumer shopping to business acquisitions.
nounPurchase (noun) refers to something acquired or procured, often involving payment. It can describe the item itself or the act of buying. In everyday use, it covers commercial transactions, inventory, or assets obtained by expenditure, and can be used in contexts from consumer shopping to business acquisitions.
"I made a large purchase yesterday and planned to comparison-shop for better value."
"The purchase of the new software license required approval from management."
"That vintage jacket was a smart purchase I’ve worn all season."
Purchase is pronounced with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈpɜːtʃəs/ in UK/US English, and a similar /ˈpɜːtʃəs/ in Australian speech. Break it as PUR-chas with a strong initial /p/ and a crisp /tʃ/ blend before the final /əs/. Remember the middle is a relaxed schwa depending on the speaker: US often uses /ɜr/ as in ‘purr-CHAS’ in rhotic accents, UK tends toward /ˈpɜːtʃəs/ without rhotic coloring. Audio references: consult Cambridge/oxford entries or Forvo for native pronunciations.
Two frequent errors: 1) Slurring the /tʃ/ into a simple /t/ or /ʃ/ sound, making it sound like ‘pursh-us’ instead of /tʃ/. 2) Misplacing the stress or reducing the second syllable too much, producing /ˈpɜːtʃəs/ with a weak first syllable or a clipped /əs/. Correct by keeping the /tʃ/ as a single affricate, and sustaining the first syllable’s vowel slightly longer before the light /əs/ ending.
In General American, you’ll hear /ˈpɜrtʃəs/ with rhotic /r/; in Received Pronunciation, /ˈpɜːtʃəs/ with non-rhotic /r/ not pronounced, and the vowel may be slightly longer in non-rhotic vowels. Australian English tends toward /ˈpəːtʃəs/ or /ˈpɜːtʃəs/ with a flatter first vowel and clear /tʃ/; the final /əs/ tends to be lighter. Across all, the /tʃ/ is stable and not elided.
The difficulty lies in the combination of an initial plosive /p/ followed by a strong affricate /tʃ/ sequence and the final unstressed /əs/. Many learners mispronounce the /tʃ/ as /ʃ/ or blend the syllables too quickly, obscuring the stress pattern. Practice focusing on a crisp /tʃ/ transition and a distinct, light /əs/ ending while keeping the first syllable stressed.
A unique feature is the dash between the first and second consonant cluster: /pɜːr/ or /pɜːtʃ/ depending on accent, but both require a tight lip-to-teeth contact for the /p/ and a precise palate touch for /tʃ/. The vowel quality—often a centralized or back-low /ɜː/—is also a key differentiator from similar words like ‘parchase’ or ‘purse-iss’. Ensure a clean, audible /tʃ/ before the final schwa.
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The word purchase comes from the Middle English term purchasen, from Old French achats “purchases,” from acheter “to buy,” which itself traces to Latin ad- “toward” and octus, related to octo “eight” in some historical confusions but more relevantly linked to the verb acheter (to buy). Over time, English adopted the noun form purchase to denote the act or product of buying, distinct from other forms of trade. In Early Modern English, “purchase” often carried the sense of a legally binding acquisition or a costly item, aligning with commercial and financial domains. The semantic range broadened to include not only goods but also the figurative sense of gaining or obtaining something by effort or payment. The term has maintained strong association with formal transactions, inventory procurement, and corporate acquisitions, and remains common in both consumer and business English. First known uses appear in legal and commercial texts from the 14th to 15th centuries, reflecting its roots in economic activity and property transfer. Today, it can denote tangible goods bought (a purchase) or the act of buying (to purchase), and is frequently paired with qualifiers like “recent,” “major,” or “strategic.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Purchase" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Purchase"
-ure sounds
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