3 syllables: Quin, tup, lets. Stress on Quin.
KWIN-tyoo-plits
/ˈkwɪn.tjuː.plɪts/
Quintuplets is pronounced KWIN-tyoo-plits (/ˈkwɪn.tjuː.plɪts/). It has three syllables (Quin-tup-lets), with the stress on "Quin". Quintuplets is a noun referring to five offspring born in one birth or five items produced together. In medical or news contexts it often denotes five siblings born in a single delivery; in other contexts it can describe a set of five related items. The term is used in professional, formal language and in research summaries to indicate a five-fold grouping.
nounQuintuplets is a noun referring to five offspring born in one birth or five items produced together. In medical or news contexts it often denotes five siblings born in a single delivery; in other contexts it can describe a set of five related items. The term is used in professional, formal language and in research summaries to indicate a five-fold grouping.
- Misplacing primary stress on the second syllable, saying quintUPl ets; ensure the stress remains on the first syllable: QUIN-tuh-plets. - Dropping the /t/ in the /tjuː/ cluster, producing /ˈkwɪn.tjuː.pləts/ vs /ˈkwɪn.tjuː.pləts/; keep a crisp /t/ release before /juː/. - Running the /pləts/ together too fast; practice separating /pləts/ clearly with the /t/ release before the final /s/. - Vowel reduction in the /juː/ or /juː/ sequence; maintain an audible long /uː/ or /juː/ as appropriate to your accent.
How to Pronounce Quintuplets
"The physician monitored the quintuplets closely after delivery."
"Researchers studied the nutritional needs of quintuplets in the neonatal unit."
"The festival showcased quintuplets—the five bands performing in one night."
Quintuplets is pronounced /ˈkwɪn.tjuː.pləts/ in UK and US practice, with a slightly longer second syllable in careful speech: /ˈkwɪn.tjuː.pləts/. The first syllable carries primary stress; the sequence -tu-plets is pronounced as a single unit with a clear /tjuː/ or /tju/ onset, and -plets ends with /pləts/. Mouth position: start with a rounded /kw/ lip shape, then /ɪ/ as in kit, glide into /tjuː/ with a front tongue blade near the alveolar ridge and a rounded lips for the /juː/, then /pləts/ with the tongue briefly touching the alveolar ridge for /t/ and finishing with /s/.
Common mistakes include pronouncing the second syllable as /tju/ without the yod, producing /ˈkwɪn.tjuː.pləts/ correctly rather than a hard /tj/; and misplacing stress, saying /ˈkwɪn.tuː.pləts/ with stress on the second part. Some speakers de-emphasize the /pj/ blend, turning /pləts/ into /plots/. To correct: emphasize the /tjuː/ cluster, ensure the first syllable has primary stress, and keep the /pləts/ portion distinct with a clear /t/ release before /s/.
US and UK both typically use /ˈkwɪn.tjuː.pləts/ with primary stress on the first syllable. US often retains /juː/ as /juː/; UK may show a slightly shorter /juː/ and a more rhotic-ish vowel in connected speech. Australian English aligns with /ˈkwɪn.tjuː.pləts/ but you might hear a more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable and a slightly broader /ɔː/ in /juː/ depending on speaker. In all, the central feature is the /kwɪn/ onset and the /tjuː/ sequence leading to /pləts/; the rhotics are typically not conspicuously pronounced in non-rhotic variants.
The difficulty lies in the tricky /tjuː/ sequence after /kwɪn/. The blending of consonants /n/ and /t/ with the /juː/ vowel requires precise tongue position: the tip near the alveolar ridge, blade raised for /n/ and a rapid transition into /t/ then /juː/. The /pləts/ ending has a cluster that can blur into /plits/ for some speakers. Focus on the sequence: /kwɪn/ + /tjuː/ + /pləts/ with clear stop before the vowel and a crisp /s/.
A distinctive feature is the uninterrupted /tjuː/ vowel-glide sequence that can easily be reduced in rapid speech to /tʃu/ or /tuː/ if not careful. Also, in some casual speech, the /juː/ may be softened toward /uː/ or /ju/ depending on regional pronunciation. Awareness of keeping the /t/ release before the /juː/ helps maintain phonemic integrity. Remember to maintain the /pləts/ ending with a clear /t/ before /s/.
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- US: emphasize rhotics and less vowel length difference in /juː/; keep /tjuː/ clear with a light but audible /t/ and sturdy /juː/. - UK: can have a slightly shorter /juː/ and more precise stopping after /t/; maintain non-rhoticity with clear /t/ release. - AU: often non-rhotic with clear /juː/ and a more relaxed /ə/ in /pləts/; keep the /t/ release crisp and ensure the /pl/ cluster is clean. - IPA references: US /ˈkwɪn.tjuː.pləts/, UK /ˈkwɪn.tjuː.pləts/, AU /ˈkwɪn.tjuː.pləts/. - General tip: practice the alveolar stop release and the /tjuː/ glide as a single unit to avoid swallowing the /t/ or muting the /juː/.
Quintuplets derives from the Latin quin- meaning five and -tuple meaning a fold, several, or times, from the Latin -mutulus possibly related to multit-, and -plex or -tuple. The combining form -tuple appears in genetics and mathematics to denote a group of items sharing a common set of attributes; quint- signals five. The term was formed in English to describe five offspring or five items produced together, paralleling other multiplicative terms like quadruplets, triplets, and sextuplets. First used in anatomical or veterinary contexts in the 19th century, quintuplets gained broader public use in the 20th century with neonatal and medical reporting of multiple births. In modern usage, quintuplets often appears in news accounts, academic literature, and social discussions about rare multiple births, sometimes substituting with hyphenated forms (five-tuple) in alternative nomenclature. The word’s prominence rose with advancements in obstetric medicine and the increasing public visibility of multiple births, leading to its established position in contemporary English.
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Words that rhyme with "Quintuplets"
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