/ˌɹipɹəˈdusɪz/
Say it backReproduces is a present-tense verb meaning to make a copy or to replicate something, especially biological or documentary material. It generally refers to producing an exact or close imitation of an original, or to yielding offspring in biological contexts. In everyday usage, it can also denote duplicating data or media, or reproducing scenes in a study or demonstration. The form shown here is the third-person singular present indicative: reproduces; the base form is reproduce.
"The lab technician reproduces the DNA sequence for further study."
"The artist reproduces the scene from history with careful attention to detail."
"Some plants reproduce asexually, while others reproduce sexually."
Break it into three syllables: re-pro-duces. Primary stress is on the second syllable: /rɪˈpraʊ.djuː.sɪz/ in US and UK. In careful speech, enunciate the /ˈpraʊ/ as a single vowel sound like 'pró-' with an /aʊ/ diphthong, then the /djuː/ blend. In connected speech you may hear the ending reduced to /-zɪz/ rather than /-dɪz/. Reference: IPA: US /rɪˈproʊ.djuː.sɪz/, UK /rɪˈprɒ.djuː.sɪz/.
Common errors: misplacing stress on the first syllable (ri-PRO-duces) or flattening the /djuː/ into a simple /du/. Corrective tips: ensure secondary syllables are less prominent, keep the /ˈpraʊ/ cluster tight but clear, and articulate the /djuː/ as a light, palatal glide /djuː/ rather than /du/. Also avoid pronouncing the final /zɪz/ as /z/ only; retain /-sɪz/ for natural rhythm.
US: rɪˈproʊ.djuː.sɪz with clear /oʊ/ in the second syllable; UK: rɪˈprɒ.djuː.sɪz with a shorter /ɒ/ vowel; AU: similar to UK but with a more centralized /ɒ/ and a slightly flatter intonation. The /r/ is rhotic in US and AU; in many UK accents it remains non-rhotic or weakly rhotic depending on region. The /juː/ in /djuː/ may be realized as /jʊ/ in some speakers; the final /ɪz/ may reduce toward /əz/ in fast speech.
Key challenges: the multi-syllabic structure with three syllables and a strong diphthong /aʊ/ in the second syllable, plus the blended /djuː/ sequence that can blur into /du/ or /dju/. The final /ɪz/ or /əz/ may distort if tempo is fast. Also, the sequence of consonants around /pr/ and /ju/ requires precise tongue positioning to avoid slurring.
Many learners query how the verb form relates to the base 'reproduce' and why the ending changes to -es for third person singular. The answer lies in English third-person present tense conjugation: add -es after sibilant-ending or common consonant clusters to produce /ɪz/ or /ɪz/ endings, aiding phonotactic clarity.
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Reproduces derives from the Latin verb reproducere, composed of re-, meaning again or back, and producere, meaning to lead forward or bring forth. The Latin stem producere evolved into Old French reproduire, then Middle French reproduire, before entering English in the 16th-17th centuries with the sense of producing again or copying. The modern English form reproduces emerged as a third-person singular present of reproduce, aligning with standard English conjugation patterns. The semantic shift from “to bring forth again” to “to copy or imitate” reflects figurative extension: to bring something forth again by copying its form, structure, or content. Over time, it broadened to cover biological replication, data duplication, and media reproduction, mirroring technological and scientific advances that foreground replication as a core capability. First known uses appear in scientific and legal texts discussing duplication of documents and biological replication, with widespread literary adoption by the 18th and 19th centuries as print and copy technologies expanded.
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Words that rhyme with "reproduces"
-ces sounds
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