3 syllables: Re, ver, ence. Stress on Re.
REV-ur-uhns
/ˈɹɛvɚəns/
Reverence is pronounced REV-ur-uhns (/ˈɹɛvɚəns/). It has three syllables (Re-ver-ence), with the stress on "Re". Reverence is a deep, respectful feeling or attitude toward someone or something worthy of admiration. It often involves solemn respect, awe, and veneration, sometimes expressed through behavior, speech, or ritual. As a noun, it can describe both personal sentiment and outward expressions of honor in contexts ranging from religion to ceremony to scholarly regard.
nounReverence is a deep, respectful feeling or attitude toward someone or something worthy of admiration. It often involves solemn respect, awe, and veneration, sometimes expressed through behavior, speech, or ritual. As a noun, it can describe both personal sentiment and outward expressions of honor in contexts ranging from religion to ceremony to scholarly regard.
"Her speech honored the soldiers with quiet reverence."
"The museum visitors watched in reverence as the artifacts were unveiled."
"He spoke with reverence about his mentor’s influence on his work."
Reverence is pronounced with three syllables: /rɪˈvɜrməns/ in US, /rɪˈvɜːrəns/ in UK and AU. The primary stress is on the second syllable: re-VER-ence. The first syllable sounds like 'ri' as in 'rib,' the mid syllable uses a schwa or reduced vowel, and the final 'ence' ends with an 'ns' consonant cluster. Visualize: ri-VER-ence. Audio reference: listen for the stressed mid syllable and the light, unstressed final syllable.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (saying re-VER-ence with the stress on the first syllable), pronouncing the second vowel as a full 'er' rather than a mid schwa, and overpronouncing the final 'ence' as ‘ence’ with a hard ‘e’. Correction tips: stress the second syllable and reduce the middle vowel to a relaxed schwa /ə/; end with a soft /ns/ cluster rather than a loud consonant sound, ensuring the final syllable remains light.
In US, the middle vowel tends to be a tighter /ɜː/ or /ɜr/ with rhotic endings, leading to /rɪˈvɜːrəns/. UK often features a slightly more rounded /ɜː/ and non-rhoticity in careful speech, giving /rɪˈvɜːrəns/ with a less pronounced post-vocalic /ɹ/. Australian tends toward a broad /ɜː/ similar to UK but with a more forward vowel quality, producing /rɪˈvɜːrəns/ with subtle Australian vowel timing differences.
The difficulty lies in the middle syllable’s vowel reduction and the final /ns/ cluster, which can blur in fast speech. Additionally, the post-stress vowel in the second syllable can shift toward a mid-central /ə/ or a slightly rounded /ɜː/ depending on accent. Practicing the rhythm—unstressed first syllable, stressed second, light third—helps maintain accurate articulation.
Reverence is three syllables: re-VER-ence. There are no silent letters; every letter participates in pronunciation, though the second syllable features a reduced vowel. The key is keeping the emphasis on the middle syllable while the first and third remain lighter. IPA guidance helps: /rɪˈvɜːrəns/ (UK) or /rɪˈvɜːrəns/ (US) and /riˈvɜːrəns/ (AU).
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Reverence comes from the Old French reverence, from reverent (adjective) and ultimately from the Latin reverentia, meaning 'aiding reverence, respect, or awe.' The Latin root revereri means 'to fear or to stand in awe of, to revere,' related to reverentia (reverence). In Middle English, reverence evolved to signify a respectful, almost sacred attitude toward a higher power, authority, or esteemed person. Over time, the sense broadened to include respectful regard in secular contexts, ceremonial acts, and in describing the demeanor one shows toward objects of admiration. The word’s semantic field has remained stable: a strong, almost sacred respect. First known use in English dates to the 14th century, aligning with religious and formal registers where ritualized respect was central. By the 17th–18th centuries, the term permeated broader social use, describing not only religious awe but the demeanor of deference in educated or ceremonial settings. In contemporary usage, reverence signals profound respect that can be both interior feeling and outward behavior, often expressed through posture, language, and ritualized acts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Reverence" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Reverence"
-nce sounds
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