4 syllables: Re, ser, va, tion. Stress on va.
rez-ur-VAY-shuhn
/ˌɹɛzɚˈveɪʃən/
Reservation is pronounced rez-ur-VAY-shuhn (/ˌɹɛzɚˈveɪʃən/). It has four syllables (Re-ser-va-tion), with the stress on "va". Reservation is a noun referring to an arrangement to secure a seat or accommodation in advance, or to the action of reserving. It can also denote a doubt or caution about something, or a region set aside for a particular purpose. In everyday use, it often means a booked table, hotel room, or a portion of land set aside by authority.
nounReservation is a noun referring to an arrangement to secure a seat or accommodation in advance, or to the action of reserving. It can also denote a doubt or caution about something, or a region set aside for a particular purpose. In everyday use, it often means a booked table, hotel room, or a portion of land set aside by authority.
"We called ahead to make a reservation for dinner at the new restaurant."
"The hotel confirmed our reservation for two rooms next weekend."
"Her reservation about signing the contract stemmed from the ambiguous terms."
Pronunciation: /ˌrɛzərˈveɪʃən/ (US) or /ˌrɛzəˈveɪʃən/ (UK). The primary stress lands on the third syllable -va-tion. Start with /ˌrɛzər/ as “reh-zər” with a schwa in the second syllable, then /ˈveɪ/ as “vay,” and finish with /ʃən/ as “shən.” In rapid speech, the second syllable softens to a quick “zə” and the final /ən/ can become a schwa-ish “ən.” Audio reference: listen to native speakers via Pronounce or YouGlish for real-world rhythm and linking.
Common mistakes include stressing the wrong syllable (placing primary stress on the fourth syllable), pronouncing the /z/ as /s/ in some dialects, and misplacing the /ɪ/ or /ə/ in the second syllable. To correct: place primary stress on the -va-tion: /ˌrɛzərˈveɪʃən/. Use a clear /z/ after the /r/ cluster and ensure the /ə/ in the second syllable is a reduced vowel, not a full vowel. Practice with minimal pairs and slow rehearsal to lock in the rhythm.
US: /ˌrɛzərˈveɪʃən/ with a rhotic /r/ and a more pronounced /ər/ in the second syllable. UK: /ˌrezəˈveɪʃən/ with a weaker rhoticity; the second syllable has a lighter /ə/ and the /ɜː/ in some regions. AU: /ˌrɛzəˈveɪʃən/ often similar to UK but with a flatter vowel in /ə/ and a slightly broader diphthong in /eɪ/. Across all, the stressed /veɪ/ remains critical; subtle shifts in /ə/ vs /ɜː/ and rhoticity distinguish dialects.
The difficulty centers on the multi-syllabic rhythm and the /ˌrɛzərˈveɪʃən/ pattern, especially the reduced second syllable /ər/ and the strong /veɪ/ peak. Non-native speakers often misplace stress or flatten the /ɪ/ vs /ə/ distinction. Additionally, trailing /ʃən/ can blur with the preceding /veɪ/. Practice focusing on the three-stress rhythm and linking consonants for natural speech.
The word has a three-syllable rhythm with a primary stress on the third syllable and a reduced second syllable, which makes the sequence -zər- vs -zə- particularly tricky. The cluster /z/ following an /r/ can be softened in some dialects, and the /ʃən/ ending requires careful lip-rounding for a natural terminal sound. Paying attention to the syllable-timed cadence helps avoid rising intonation or extra emphasis on wrong syllables.
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Reservation comes from the Latin reservare, meaning to keep back or retain. The prefix re- indicates again or back, while servare means to save or preserve. The English form entered Middle English via Old French, adopting both the sense of saving a place (a table, seat, or room) and the broader idea of keeping something for future use. The term evolved to cover land set aside for a specific purpose (a reserve) and, in modern usage, to describe a booking, particularly in hospitality or travel contexts. Over time, reservation also acquired figurative senses: a cautious doubt or reluctance about a proposal or plan, reflecting the sense of “keeping back” one’s full endorsement. Early attestations can be traced to medieval legal and administrative documents, but the contemporary sense of making an advance booking developed with commerce and travel expansion in the 18th and 19th centuries. The word has remained essential in service industries, governance, and everyday life, often paired with “system” or “policy” to describe how seats, rooms, and resources are allocated while preserving options for future use.
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Words that rhyme with "Reservation"
-ion sounds
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