REZ-id-uhns
/ˈɹɛzɪdəns/
residence is pronounced REZ-id-uhns (/ˈɹɛzɪdəns/). Residence is the act or fact of living in a place; it also denotes a dwelling or place where someone lives, typically with legal implications or formal designation. In everyday use it can refer to one’s home, the place of tenure, or the official address of a person or institution. The term often appears in legal, bureaucratic, or academic contexts, distinguishing permanent dwelling from temporary accommodation.
Residence is the act or fact of living in a place; it also denotes a dwelling or place where someone lives, typically with legal implications or formal designation. In everyday use it can refer to one’s home, the place of tenure, or the official address of a person or institution. The term often appears in legal, bureaucratic, or academic contexts, distinguishing permanent dwelling from temporary accommodation.
- You often place stress on the second syllable (re-SI-dence). Keep it on the first: /ˈrɛzɪdəns/. - The middle vowel may become a long /iː/ or a reduced /ə/ incorrectly; target /ɪ/ in the second syllable, then schwa. - Final consonant blend /ns/ should stay crisp; avoid voicing the /d/ into /dnz/. Practice by isolating consonant blobs and practicing rapid transitions. - In rapid speech, the second syllable may compress; maintain a brief /ɪ/ before /də/ to keep each segment distinct.
"Her residence was registered with the local council."
"The university announced the residence hall would reopen in the fall."
"Due to air quality issues, his residence was relocated to a temporary facility."
Pronounce as /ˈrɛzɪdəns/ in both US and UK; primary stress on first syllable. Break it as REZ-i-dense. The middle is a short, relaxed /ɪ/ followed by /də/ and a final /ns/. In careful speech: /ˈrɛzɪdəns/. For Australian, often similar but with less rhoticity, approximating /ˈɹɛzɪdəns/ depending on speaker. Listen to standard pronunciations from Cambridge or Oxford for reference.
Common errors: misplacing stress (putting stress on the second syllable like re-SI-dence), pronouncing the middle as /ri/ or /rɪ/ with a long vowel, or pronouncing final -ence as /-eɪnz/ or /-ents/. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈrɛzɪdən(t)s/ with a schwa in the second syllable and a clear final /ns/. Practice by saying REZ-i-dents quickly to feel the rhythm; ensure the final /s/ transitions to /ns/ without an extra vowel.
In US: /ˈrɛzɪdəns/ with rhotic r and a clear /ə/ in the second syllable. In UK: /ˈrɛzɪdəns/ with non-rhotic tendencies in some speakers, though many use a full /r/ in connected speech; second syllable reduced to /də/. In AU: /ˈɹɛzɪdəns/ with similar US vowel qualities but with Australian vowel shifts; final syllable often unstressed in rapid speech.
Difficulties come from the sequence /-zɪ-dəns/ where the schwa reduces quickly, and the final /ns/ cluster requires precise tongue positioning to avoid a vowel intrusion. The initial /r/ can be trilled or tapped depending on dialect; many speakers misplace the stress or insert extra vowels. Paying attention to the distinct syllable timing (trochaic pattern) helps maintain the rhythm.
Yes—the word’s primary stress on the first syllable and the unstressed mid syllable /ɪ/ followed by a reduced /də/ and final /ns/ make a characteristic rhythm: REZ-i-dən(z). The trailing syllable often reduces to /dns/ in fast speech; ensure you don’t merge the middle vowel into a long /i/ or /eɪ/. Practice with minimal pairs to keep the sequence tight.
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- US: rhotic /r/; ensure a clear /ɹ/ at onset; keep /z/ voiced, /ɪ/ as a lax vowel; /dəns/ with light /d/. - UK: often non-rhotic in careful speech; you may hear /ˈrɛzɪdəns/ with soft /r/ or even /ˈrɛzɪdəns/ with syllabic /z/; keep the /ə/ in the second syllable. - AU: /ˈɹɛzɪdən(t)s/ with typical Australian vowel qualities; may reduce /ˈɹɛzɪdəns/ to /ˈɹeɪzən(t)s/ in casual speech; still maintain the /z/ and final /ns/. IPA references: US /ˈrɛzɪdən(t)s/, UK /ˈrɛzɪdən(t)s/, AU /ˈɹɛzɪdən(t)s/. - Key tip: maintain crisp final /ns/ cluster; avoid adding a vowel after /n/. - Vowel length is not contrastive here; focus on accuracy of the schwa vs. /ɪ/ in the second syllable.
Residence comes from Old French residence, from late Latin residentia, from residēre “to sit down, remain, stay,” from re- “back” + sedēre “to sit.” The sense of “place where one lives” arose in English in the 15th century, initially tied to a person’s seat or dwelling, and later to legal or official status (e.g., tax residence, permanent residence). The broader sense of “act of residing” followed, with usage expanding into administrative contexts (residence permits, residency requirements). The word’s evolution reflects shifts from physical sitting or dwelling to formalized status in governance and institutions. First known uses appear in legal and architectural texts, where concept of fixed place of living or staying was critical for property rights and governance. Over centuries, as migration patterns and bureaucratic processes intensified, residence acquired nuanced distinctions between temporary stay, habitual dwelling, and official domicile. In modern English, it remains a stable term across law, immigration, and everyday speech.
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Words that rhyme with "residence"
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