One syllable: Source.
sawrs
/sɔɹs/
Source is pronounced sawrs (/sɔɹs/). It has one syllable (Source), with the stress on "Source". Source (n.) refers to the point where something begins or comes from, such as the origin of information or a spring of water. In academic writing, it denotes where a claim or data originates and should be properly cited. It also functions as a verb meaning to obtain or extract from a source. The term carries a neutral, technical connotation across disciplines.
nounSource (n.) refers to the point where something begins or comes from, such as the origin of information or a spring of water. In academic writing, it denotes where a claim or data originates and should be properly cited. It also functions as a verb meaning to obtain or extract from a source. The term carries a neutral, technical connotation across disciplines.
How to Pronounce Source
"The source of the river was upstream beyond the hills."
"Cite your source when presenting statistics in the report."
"Researchers traced the source of the leak to a faulty valve."
Say /sɔːrs/ in non-rhotic US, though many Americans release the final r to /sɔːrs/. In UK and AU varieties, you’ll typically hear /sɔːs/ with a long o and a voiceless /s/ ending. The key is a clear, single-syllable nucleus /ɔː/ followed by a crisp /s/ or /rs/ quality depending on rhoticity; avoid a
Common errors include misplacing the vowel, producing a sloppy /ɔ/ or turning it into a short /ɒ/ in US speech, and overly prolonging or clipping the final /s/. Another pitfall is adding a /z/ voice at the end (sour-z) due to confusion with plural s. To correct: keep a single steady nucleus /ɔː/ for the vowel, ensure the final consonant is a voiceless /s/, and avoid vowel-diphthongization that shifts toward /ɜː/ or /ʊ/.
In US English, you’ll hear a rhotic flavor with a pronounced r if connected to a following vowel; however, in most US dialects, the final /r/ is light or dropped in non-rhotic positions. In UK and AU, the final consonant is typically /s/ with a long /ɔː/ nucleus and no following rhotic vowel. AU sometimes shows a slightly more centralized vowel quality in the middle of the vowel cluster. It’s important to listen for /ˈsɔːs/ vs /ˈsɔːrs/ depending on context.
Because the nucleus is a long back rounded vowel /ɔː/ that can vary in quality, and the ending /s/ can blend with a following consonant in fast speech, making it easy to reduce or mispronounce. The challenge also lies in avoiding an extra voiced /z/ or turning the vowel into a lax /ɒ/ in some US dialects. Focus on a tense, mid-back vowel and a crisp, unvoiced /s/ to stabilize the sound.
A distinctive feature is the transition from a rounded back vowel to a voiceless alveolar sibilant. The mouth should start with a rounded, slightly open jaw and then snap to a high-tension /s/. In connected speech, you’ll often hear a subtle, brief conditioning of the vowel before the /s/ depending on the accent, but the core is /sɔːs/ in non-rhotic varieties and /ˈsɔːrs/ when rhoticity is present. IPA guide helps you lock the sound.
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Source comes from the Old French source, which in turn derives from the Latin word origine, from oriri meaning “to rise, to arise.” The Latin root is or- meaning “to rise, to begin,” and the diminutive suffix -giu- (or -io-) in some forms evolved into -ce in French. In Middle English, the word evolved as soucre/sourge, influenced by Anglo-Norman usage, aligning with a sense of origin or birthplace. Historically, the term broadened from a physical spring or fountain to a figurative origin or cause in scholarly and literary contexts, with earliest attestations in early medieval documents where “source” described a fountainhead or the point of origin for rivers and streams. By the 16th–17th centuries, it extended to abstract origins such as the source of ideas, information, or influence, cementing its modern semantic versatility across disciplines. First known uses appear in Latin and Old French texts, with English adoption evident by the late medieval period, followed by standardization in Early Modern English dictionaries and scholarly prose. The word’s evolution reflects a shift from tangible origins to broader metaphoric applications in science, literature, and information theory, maintaining succinct ties to the idea of a rising point or birthplace of something.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Source" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Source" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Source"
-rse sounds
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