SIN-wuhs
/ˈsɪnwəs/
Sinuous is pronounced SIN-wuhs (/ˈsɪnwəs/). Sinuous is an adjective describing something that is winding, curving, or serpentine in shape or movement. It conveys elegance and flexibility, often implying smooth, continuous motion. In practice, it refers to lines, paths, or forms that repeatedly bend with graceful, S-curved angles.
adjectiveSinuous is an adjective describing something that is winding, curving, or serpentine in shape or movement. It conveys elegance and flexibility, often implying smooth, continuous motion. In practice, it refers to lines, paths, or forms that repeatedly bend with graceful, S-curved angles.
"The sinu ous river wove through the valley, narrowing and widening with gentle curves."
"Her fingers traced the sinu ous pattern on the vase, mimicking its serpentine lines."
"The dancer’s sinu ous movements captivated the audience with their fluid, wave-like motion."
You say it as /ˈsɪn.ju.əs/. Stress is on the first syllable: SIN-yoo-ess. The second syllable begins with the palatal approximant /j/ (the y in you), then /u/ as in you, and ends with /əs/ as in us. Keep the sequence smooth and avoid over-enunciating: sin-yoo-əs in a single, flowing motion. If you’re listening, you’ll hear a gentle glide from /n/ into the /j/ and a light, unstressed final /əs/.
Common errors include: 1) stressing the second syllable (sin-YOO-us) instead of the first; 2) mispronouncing the /nj/ cluster as two separate sounds like n + ya instead of a palatal sequence (n + j); 3) pronouncing the final /əs/ as a hard /s/ or /z/ rather than a reduced schwa. Correct by keeping the first syllable strong, forming a quick palatal transition /n.j/ and ending with a light /ə/ or /əs/ without an extra consonant.
In US and UK, the initial /s/ and the /ɪ/ in the first syllable are similar, but rhoticity affects the ending: US often reduces final /ə/ to a schwa sound /ə/ or even a light /ə/; UK tends to a lighter ending, sometimes sounding more like /-juː.əs/ in careful speech. Australian tends to a shorter, more clipped /ɪ/ and a less pronounced /j/ transition, so it can come out as /ˈsɪn.ju.əs/ with a slightly flatter final syllable. Overall, the glide stays, but vowel length and final vowel quality vary.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /nj/ after /n/, which requires a quick palatal onset, and the sequence of three syllables with stress on the first. The middle syllable carries /ju/ as a yod-like sound, which isn’t intuitive for all speakers. Additionally, the final unstressed /əs/ can be reduced to a weak schwa, which many learners overshoot as /ɪz/ or overpronounce as /əs/. Mastery comes from practicing the light, rapid transition between /n/ and /j/ and maintaining steady breath control through the final syllable.
A unique aspect is the combination of the /n/ with a palatal glide /j/ directly after it, forming a subtle /nj/ sequence that isn’t common in all English words. Practically, you produce a clean transition: /n/ immediately into /j/ without inserting a vowel; then a short /u/ vowel and a softened final /əs/. Visualize your tongue blade rising toward the hard palate for /nj/ and keep your lips relaxed through the final schwa.
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Sinuous comes from the Latin sinuosus, meaning “bending, winding,” from sinu- “a bend, fold” + -osus, an adjectival suffix meaning “full of” or “characterized by.” The root sinu- derives from sinus, meaning “a fold, hollow,” or metaphorically a curve or bend. Historic use in English dates to the late 16th century, often in scientific or descriptive contexts, to denote sinuous shapes or lines. Over time, its usage broadened to describe people’s movements, fabrics, roads, and natural forms that display graceful curvature. The word carries a subtle aesthetic tone, often implying elegance, stealth, or complexity in form. In literature, sinuosity can convey slyness or flexibility of approach, while in design it suggests organic, fluid structure. First known uses are documented in early modern texts describing rivers, vines, or serpentine architecture, with semantic emphasis on the visual of continuous, winding curves. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, it remains a precise descriptor in both scientific and literary registers, continuing into contemporary descriptive prose and design discourse.
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Words that rhyme with "Sinuous"
-ous sounds
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