ruh-SEE-vurz
/ɹəˈsivɚz/
receivers is pronounced ruh-SEE-vurz (/ɹəˈsivɚz/). Receivers is a plural noun meaning devices or people that receive something, such as signals, messages, or goods. In technical contexts it often refers to equipment that accepts signals or data, while in everyday use it can describe people who receive something (gifts, awards). The pronunciation pattern centers on multiple unstressed syllables, with emphasis typically on the first syllable in many contexts.
Receivers is a plural noun meaning devices or people that receive something, such as signals, messages, or goods. In technical contexts it often refers to equipment that accepts signals or data, while in everyday use it can describe people who receive something (gifts, awards). The pronunciation pattern centers on multiple unstressed syllables, with emphasis typically on the first syllable in many contexts.
"The satellite receivers were calibrated to improve signal quality."
"Athletes waited for the receivers of the prize to announce the winner."
"The television receivers connected to the antenna transmitted clear pictures."
You pronounce it as /rɪˈsiːvərz/ (US) or /rɪˈsiːvəz/ (UK/AU). The stress falls on the second syllable: ri-SEE-vurz. Start with a short 'ri' (/rɪ/), then a long 'see' (/siː/), followed by a softly pronounced 'vərz' (/vərz/ in US) or /vəz/ in UK/AU. Tip: keep the vowel of 'see' long and the final /z/ voiced for natural rhythm. You can listen to native pronunciations on Forvo or YouGlish for verification.
Common errors: 1) treating the second syllable as /siːv/ but softening it to /sɪv/ or /siːvɜː/; 2) misplacing primary stress on the first or third syllable; 3) pronouncing the final /r/ too strongly in non-rhotic varieties. Correction: keep /ɪ/ in the first syllable, long /iː/ in the second, and a clear /ər/ or /ə/ plus final /z/. Practice with minimal pairs to reinforce the /ˈsiːv/ nucleus and the final /z/ voiced consonant.
In US accents, /r/ is rhotic and the final /ər/ tends to be /ər/ with a clear /z/ ending. UK and some AU accents are non-rhotic, so the final 'er' becomes a schwa or /ə/ and vowel quality is less rhotic; the /r/ is often silent before a vowel. Nevertheless, in plural endings, speakers often retain /z/ or devoiced /s/ depending on surrounding sounds. Focus on the second syllable /siː/ and keep the final /ərz/ or /əz/ depending on the accent.
The difficulty stems from two adjacent vowel sounds: the first is a short /ɪ/ in 're' and the long /iː/ in 'ceiv'. Transitioning from /ɪ/ to /siː/ requires precise tongue height and jaw position. The final cluster /ərz/ (US) or /əz/ (UK/AU) also challenges speakers due to reduplication of the schwa and the voiced /z/. Practicing the sequence /rɪ/ + /ˈsiː/ + /vərz/ helps stabilize rhythm and voicing.
Does the plural suffix '-ers' in 'receivers' affect the stress pattern compared to 'receiver' or 'receiving', and how do vowel qualities shift in rapid speech? In careful speech the primary stress remains on the second syllable (/ˈsiː/), while in rapid speech the nucleus may compress toward /siː/ and the final /ərz/ can reduce to /ərz/ or /əz/. Understanding syllable weight helps predict pronunciation in fluent sentences.
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Receivers comes from the verb receive, via Old French recevoir, from Latin recipere (re- ‘back’ + capere ‘to take’). The suffix -er/-ers indicates an agent noun, referring to the person or thing that performs the action or fulfills the role, so a receiver is something that receives or the person who receives. The word entered English through Middle English, with usage expanding in the 16th–18th centuries as technological contexts emerged (signal receivers, radio receivers). Over time, the plural form receivers became common to indicate multiple devices or people who receive. The core meaning has two related senses: a device that accepts something (like a radio receiver) and a person who receives something (a prize recipient). The pronunciation and spelling reflect the French and Latin roots, while modern usage includes both hardware and recipient roles across domains.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "receivers" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "receivers"
-ers sounds
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