stahrz
/stɑɹz/
stars is pronounced stahrz (/stɑɹz/). Stars is a plural noun or verb form related to celestial bodies or to the verb star (to feature). In practice, it denotes multiple luminous points in the night sky or famous people in a lineup, or the action of featuring someone. The word is short, with a final /z/ or /s/ depending on context, and commonly used in casual and formal registers alike.
Stars is a plural noun or verb form related to celestial bodies or to the verb star (to feature). In practice, it denotes multiple luminous points in the night sky or famous people in a lineup, or the action of featuring someone. The word is short, with a final /z/ or /s/ depending on context, and commonly used in casual and formal registers alike.
"The sky was clear, revealing countless stars."
"The movie stars several acclaimed actors in leading roles."
"The show stars a new cast this season."
/stɑːrz/ in UK and US IPA, with the r-colored vowel in rhotic varieties. Start with an /s/ plus an open back /ɑː/ for the vowel, then glide into a voiced /z/; the final consonant is a voiced z-sound, not a /s/ or an /ɪ/. Keep the mouth slightly open for /ɑː/ and ensure the tip of the tongue lightly touches the alveolar ridge before the /r/ in rhotic accents. In non-rhotic UK speech, the /r/ is not pronounced, yielding /stɑːz/. Audio reference: listen for the steady /ɑː/ and the final voiced /z/.
Common errors include pronouncing the vowel as a short /æ/ (stair-like) and substituting a voiceless /s/ for the final /z/ sound. Another pitfall is over-emphasizing the /r/ in non-rhotic speakers, causing an intrusive /r/ or extra vowel. Correct by adopting a longer /ɑː/ in the stressed syllable, finishing with a clear, voiced /z/ without buzzing the air too hard. Practice with minimal pair: stars vs. stares, noting the final consonant and vowel distinction.
In US English, /stɑrz/ with rhotic /r/ and a prominent final /z/. UK English tends toward /stɑːz/ in non-rhotic regions (no /r/ after the vowel) though some speakers retain slight rhotics; the vowel is long and open. Australian English typically uses /stɑːz/ or /stɑɹz/ depending on the speaker, with variable rhoticity and a broad, open /aː/ vowel. In all cases, the final /z/ is voiced; the key differences are vowel length and rhotic realization.
The challenge lies in timing the short, stressed vowel before a close, voiced consonant cluster and maintaining a smooth transition into the /z/ ending. For learners, the variance of /r/ coloring in different accents and the choice between /ɑ/ vs /ɑː/ can affect accuracy. Also, the plural /z/ can be confused with /s/ or with a devoiced ending in faster speech. Focus on holding a steady /ɑː/ (US/UK) before the final /z/.
Think of it as a single, steady vowel nucleus (/ɑː/ in stressed syllable) followed by a crisp, voiced /z/. Do not insert a schwa after /ɑː/ in most standard pronunciations; keep the tongue low and relaxed for /ɑː/, then deliver the final /z/ with a brief, buzzy excitation from the vocal cords. This helps the word feel compact and natural in connected speech.
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The word stars comes from Old English steorra, related to Old High German sterro and Proto-Germanic *sternô, all tied to the concept of a celestial body. The Proto-Indo-European root *ster- likely conveyed the idea of a fixed point or star-like shape. In Middle English, star(e) underwent spelling and pronunciation shifts, with the final -s forming because stars often appears in plural use or as a third-person present singular verb form (he stars). The semantic range expanded to include figurative uses, such as celebrities (the “stars” of a show) and metaphorical phrases like “stars align.” The mapping from astronomical body to symbolic luminary gained traction in Renaissance and post-medieval literature, reinforcing the association with brightness, guidance, and fame. In contemporary English, stars functions flexibly as a count noun (two stars) or verb (the movie stars a leading actor), with pronunciation consistently featuring the final /z/ sound in plural noun contexts, and the /z/ or /s/ allomorphy governed by phonological environment. First known uses appear in Old English texts around the 9th to 11th centuries, with evolving spelling patterns in the later medieval period and standardization in Early Modern English. The word thus encapsulates both astronomical and cultural symbolism that persists in modern usage.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "stars" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "stars" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "stars"
-ars sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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