SEP-ur-ayts
/ˈsɛpɚˌeɪts/
separates is pronounced SEP-ur-ayts (/ˈsɛpɚˌeɪts/). Separates is a verb (third person singular present) or a noun in plural form meaning to divides or parts that cause division; in context it can refer to things that keep entities apart. The pronunciation guidance below focuses on the verb form, which is most common in usage, though the noun plural form follows the same base pronunciation with a plural marker. The word emphasizes the /ˈsɛpəˌreɪts/ (US) or /ˈsepəˌreɪts/ (UK) pattern, with stress on the first syllable and a final /ts/ cluster.
Separates is a verb (third person singular present) or a noun in plural form meaning to divides or parts that cause division; in context it can refer to things that keep entities apart. The pronunciation guidance below focuses on the verb form, which is most common in usage, though the noun plural form follows the same base pronunciation with a plural marker. The word emphasizes the /ˈsɛpəˌreɪts/ (US) or /ˈsepəˌreɪts/ (UK) pattern, with stress on the first syllable and a final /ts/ cluster.
"The committee separates the data into three categories."
"The two rivers separates the valley into distinct basins."
"Hair separates easily when the conditioner is added."
Pronunciation: /ˈsɛpəˌreɪts/ (US) or /ˈsepəˌreɪts/ (UK/AU). The stress is on the first syllable: SE-pa-ates, with a secondary emphasis on the third syllable in slower speech. The middle vowel is a schwa /ə/, and the final cluster is /reɪts/ followed by /s/. Tip: keep the final /ts/ crisp. Audio reference: consult standard dictionaries or pronunciation platforms for a native speaker audio example.
Common mistakes include: 1) Misplacing stress (saying si-PA-rites or sze-PA-rates). Always stress the first syllable /ˈsɛ/; 2) Merging /pə/ and /reɪts/ into a single syllable or mispronouncing /reɪ/ as /riː/; aim for /rəˈeɪts/ with a clear /rə/ before /eɪ/; 3) Softening final /ts/ into /t/ or /s/—keep the voiceless affricate /ts/ before the final /s/ to maintain the crisp ending.
US: /ˈsɛpəˌreɪts/ with rhotic consonants elsewhere; UK/AU: /ˈsepəˌreɪts/ with a slightly shorter /eɪ/ in some regions and less pronounced rhotics in non-rhotic UK accents. Vowel quality differences: US /ɛ/ vs UK /e/ in some dialects; AU tends to a mid/close-mid /eɪ/ and more muted r-coloring. Overall the pattern is similar, but subtle vowel height and rhotics vary. Practice listening to native samples to detect small shifts.
Difficulties include the three-syllable structure with a stressed initial syllable and a clipped final consonant cluster /ts/. The middle /ə/ is unstressed and can be reduced to a schwa, which may blur with surrounding vowels in rapid speech. The /reɪts/ ending requires precise tongue position to ensure the /eɪ/ is clear and the /ts/ is released crisply, not elided. Practice with deliberate pace to separate the syllables clearly.
A distinctive feature is the strong initial syllable with /s/ followed by a weak second syllable /ə/ and a crisp final /ts/ cluster. The tri-syllabic rhythm (strong-weak-strong) can cause a tendency to compress the middle syllable; focus on keeping /ə/ distinct and not reducing the /r/ in non-rhotic accents. Also, the final /ts/ should be released, not omitted, to avoid sounding like /t/ or /s/.
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Separates derives from the verb separation in Latin, ultimately tracing back to the root separ- meaning ‘to set apart.’ The key Latin ancestor is separare, formed from the prefix se- ‘apart, asunder’ and parare ‘to put, arrange, prepare.’ In Late Latin and Old French, separare and separer gave rise to the English separates via Old French separer and Latin separatus, with the sense of setting apart or dividing. The modern English form appears in Middle English through borrowings that matured in the 15th–16th centuries, preserving the sense of dividing or causing to be apart. The pronunciation evolution tracks standard English shifts: the initial /s/ remains, the stressed first syllable contains /ɛ/ in many dialects, the middle unstressed syllable reduces to a schwa or short /ə/, and the final /ts/ reflects a voiceless alveolar affricate cluster common in English compounds and verbs ending in -ates. The noun form “separates” (as plural noun or third-person singular adjective) shares the same phonology. The word is now common in technical contexts (data separation, boundary creation) and everyday discussion about dividing objects or groups.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "separates" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "separates"
-tes sounds
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