One syllable: Quoits.
kwoyts
/kwɔɪts/
Quoits is pronounced kwoyts (/kwɔɪts/). It has one syllable (Quoits), with the stress on "Quoits". Quoits (noun) refers to a ring tossed in games to land over a peg or stake, or to the game itself using such rings. The term can denote the equipment as well as the activity, historically popular in pubs and households. It implies casual competition, precision throws, and outdoor or indoor play depending on the set design.
nounQuoits (noun) refers to a ring tossed in games to land over a peg or stake, or to the game itself using such rings. The term can denote the equipment as well as the activity, historically popular in pubs and households. It implies casual competition, precision throws, and outdoor or indoor play depending on the set design.
"They played quoits in the garden, skillfully looping the rings onto the peg."
"The pub has a small quoits ladder, and teams competed for a lighthearted prize."
"During the fair, children lined up to throw quoits at the wooden pegs."
Pronounce as two syllables: /ˈkwoɪts/. The stress falls on the first syllable. Start with a rounded, mid-back vowel /kwo-/, then a rising diphthong /aɪ/ leading into /ts/ as in ‘bits’ but softened with an unaspirated final /ts/. In US English you’ll hear /ˈkwoɪts/ and in UK/AU /ˈkwɔɪts/. Audio reference: you can compare with the word ‘coins’ but with a /t/ and /s/ ending; think ‘quo-its’ with a crisp end-stop.
Common errors: (1) Pronouncing the initial cluster as /ˈkwoɪt/ with the final /s/ omitted or merged; (2) Misplacing stress, saying /ˈkwɒɪts/ or /ˈkwiːts/; (3) Lengthening the vowel too much or flattening the /ɔɪ/ diphthong. Correction: use the tight /ɪ/ or /ɔɪ/ diphthong for the second vowel, keep a clean /ts/ ending, and maintain primary stress on the first syllable. Practicing with minimal pairs like quoits/coins helps ensure the /ɔɪ/ quality is correct and the final /ts/ is crisp.
US tends to preserve /ˈkwoɪts/ with a clear /w/ and /ɔɪ/ diphthong; UK/AU favor /ˈkwɔɪts/ with a slightly more open /ɔ/ vowel in the first vowel and closer to /w/ in some speakers. Rhoticity doesn’t dramatically affect quoits, but vowel quality shifts, especially the onset vowel becoming more centralized for some UK/AU speakers. The final /ts/ remains a voiceless alveolar affricate in all. Watching regional YouTube demos helps hear subtle differences.
Difficulties come from the diphthong in the first syllable /ɔɪ/ (or /ɔɪ/ variant) and the final /ts/ cluster, which can bleed into /t/ or /s/ sounds in rapid speech. The combination demands precise tongue position: a high front tongue for the /ɪ/ part of the diphthong, and a quick apical /t/ release before the /s/. Additionally, regional vowel shifts can alter the perceived starting vowel, making it sound unfamiliar to learners who aren’t attuned to the /ɔɪ/ contour.
In quoits, the /ɔɪ/ or /ɔɪ/ sequence is functionally the same sound represented by the diphthong in writing; many speakers perceive it as /ɔɪ/ or /aɪ/ depending on region, but it forms a single rising diphthong rather than two separate sounds. The important detail is to glide from a mid-open vowel to a high-front element smoothly, ending sharply with /ts/. The IPA representation /ɔɪ/ or /aɪ/ reflects this single rising diphthong, not two discrete segments.
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Quoits probably derives from the Middle English word quoíte, from the French quoit meaning a ring or circle, related to the Old French coite and late Latin cocta, alluding to a ring or circular object. The modern spelling and pronunciation stabilized in English by the 19th century, reflecting the popularity of the game in Britain and Ireland. The word’s semantic scope broadened from the physical ring to the sport itself, paralleling other ring-based games of the era. Historical references to quoits games appear in 17th- to 19th-century sporting treatises, catalogs, and pub literature, where the game was commonly played outdoors with iron or rope rings. As leisure cultures diversified, quoits became a staple of organized backyard and fairground activities, with standardized rules and equipment evolving into modern versions while retaining the core ring-over-peg mechanic.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Quoits" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Quoits"
-ts? sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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