/ˈkwɔɹtɚz/
Say it backQuarters refers to four equal parts of a whole, typically used to describe divisions of time, money, or space. It can also denote a living space or lodging unit, such as a room or suite reserved for a person or group. The plural form often appears in contexts like ‘two quarters of an hour’ or ‘quarterly quarters,’ and it may function as a noun or adjective depending on usage.
"We rented two adjoining quarters for the year."
"The meeting lasted a quarter of an hour, or four quarters of ten minutes."
"They divided the land into four quarters for the survey."
Pronounce it as /ˈkwɔːr.tərz/ in US English, with primary stress on the first syllable. The first vowel is a long open-mid back rounded vowel like 'aw' in 'law.' The second syllable is a schwa or a reduced vowel in fast speech, and the final 'ts' is voiced as /z/ in plural, leading to a soft 'z' sound: -terz. In careful speech you may hear a /t/ before the final /ərz/, but typically the 't' blends into a light /ɹ/ sound before the final /z/. Audio references: Cambridge/Forvo show /ˈkwɔːr.tərz/.
Common errors: misplacing the stress (e.g., /ˈkwɑːr.tərz/ with an American 'ah'); pronouncing the first vowel as a short /ɒ/ as in 'cot'; or pronouncing the final cluster as /tərz/ with a hard 't.' Correction: keep the /ɔː/ vowel in the first syllable, use a light /t/ before the final /ərz/, and ensure the final /z/ is voiced. In rapid speech you may hear /ˈkwɔːɾərz/ with a light tap; keep it as /ˈkwɔːr.tərz/ for standard clarity.
In US English, you’ll typically hear /ˈkwɔɚ.tɚz/ with rhoticity and a slightly r-colored first syllable. In UK English, /ˈkwɔː.təz/ features a longer /ɔː/ vowel and a reduced second syllable with a schwa; final /z/ may be devoiced in careful speech. In Australian English, /ˈkwɔː.təz/ sits between US and UK, with a broad /ɔː/ and a non-rhotic tendency in some speakers; the final syllable often reduces to /təz/ or /təs/. Use IPA guides when practicing to track subtle shifts.
Difficulties come from the vowel duration in the first syllable and the transition from /r/ to a schwa-like second syllable in rapid speech. The sequence /ɔːr/ requires smooth tongue curling and lip rounding, and the final /z/ demands voicing without adding extra syllables. In many accents, the second syllable reduces quickly, so you may lose the /t/ before the /ərz/. Slow, deliberate practice helps anchor tongue position and the subtle 'r'-coloring.
In standard pronunciation, yes, the plural suffix is voiced /z/ in most contexts (e.g., two quarters). In careful or careful-lip reading, you might hear /əz/ ending as in /tərz/; however, many speakers merge the /r/ with the vowel, resulting in /ˈkwɔːtərz/ or /ˈkwɔːtəz/. The most common realization is /ˈkwɔːr.tərz/ (US) or /ˈkwɔː.təz/ (UK/AU). Be consistent with -s voiced pronunciation in your target variety.
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The word quarters comes from Old French quarche or fourche, and ultimately from Latin quartus meaning one-fourth, which reflects its role in dividing a whole into four equal parts. In Middle English, quarters captured both the idea of a district or lodging space and a portion of time or money. The semantic shift broadens from a fourth of something to a general sense of divisional parts (quarters of a city, quarters of the year) and the lodging sense (living quarters). By early modern English, the plural form quarters appeared widely in legal, geographic, and domestic contexts. The sense of a living space as a defined portion of a building arises in parallel with military and civic usage (the quarters for soldiers, barracks, or official residences), reinforcing the dual identity of quarters as both a measurement and a place. Throughout its evolution, the word has retained its core numeric association with one-fourth or a distinct division, while expanding into figurative and spatial meanings in many languages that borrowed Latin-based vocabulary for similar concepts.
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Words that rhyme with "quarters"
-ers sounds
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