streets
/stɹits/
streets is pronounced streets (/stɹits/). Streets refers to public roads in towns or cities where vehicular and pedestrian traffic occurs. It can also describe a neighborhood or district known for its shops and activity. In pronunciation, the word ends with a voiceless /s/ plural suffix and features the /iː/ vowel in the middle, contributing to a crisp, two-syllable rhythm when spoken quickly.
Streets refers to public roads in towns or cities where vehicular and pedestrian traffic occurs. It can also describe a neighborhood or district known for its shops and activity. In pronunciation, the word ends with a voiceless /s/ plural suffix and features the /iː/ vowel in the middle, contributing to a crisp, two-syllable rhythm when spoken quickly.
"We walked down the streets of old town, admiring the storefronts."
"The streets were crowded with cyclists and pedestrians during rush hour."
"She grew up on quiet streets that turned lively at night."
Pronounce it as two syllables: /strɪts/ in most accents. Start with the consonant cluster /str/—tongue tip near the alveolar ridge, then release into the short /ɪ/ vowel and finish with a voiceless /ts/ cluster, making the final /s/ crisp. In careful speech you may hear a brief offglide into /iː/ in some dialects, but standard usage keeps /ɪ/ (as in 'sit'). Listen for the sharp stop before the /s/ to ensure the plural is not confused with 'street' (/striːt/). Audio references: Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries offer IPA and pronunciation clips.
Common errors include turning the /str/ into a simpler /st/ cluster, which reduces the word’s crisp onset; lengthening the middle vowel to /iː/ as in 'street' or mispronouncing the final /ts/ as /s/ or /t/ in a way that softens the final syllable. Another frequent pitfall is not voicing the final /s/, making it sound like ‘street’ or ‘street-s’ without the sharp termination. Correct those by practicing the /str/ onset, holding a short /ɪ/ and releasing quickly into /ts/ for a clean, final /s/.
In US English, /strɪts/ with a short, lax /ɪ/ and a crisp /ts/ ending is common; the /r/ is rhotic and pronounced. UK speakers tend to have a shorter, clipped vowel and may reduce the /r/ in non-rhotic dialects while preserving a sharp /t/ release before the final /s/. Australian English typically retains rhoticity less prominently in casual speech, with a compact /ɪ/ and a less forceful /t/ release before /s/. All share the /str/ onset, but vowel quality and rhoticity subtly shift the overall timbre.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /str/ followed by the short /ɪ/ vowel and an affricate-like /ts/ sequence at the end. The immediate transition from a dense onset to a voiceless affricate requires precise timing: the tongue must stop briefly for /t/ and release into /s/ without voicing. Learners often devoice the /t/ or blend /s/ with the preceding /t/, producing /strɪt/ or /strɪt/ without the final /s/. Focusing on a clean /ts/ release helps clarity.
Streets ends with a clear plural /s/, but many learners slide into /z/ in rapid speech, especially after voiced sounds. To optimize clarity, emphasize the unvoiced /s/ at the end. Also, the word contains a stressed first syllable with a short vowel, so ensure the /ɪ/ is not mispronounced as /iː/ or reduced to schwa in fast speech. Keeping the /str/ onset distinct helps SEO by matching common user queries about the word’s pronunciation.
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The noun streets originates from Old English stȳr (plural: stȳras) or strēt, with cognates in Old Norse and Germanic languages referring to a paved or public way. The modern form Streets emerged in Middle English as the plural of street, from Proto-Germanic *strātą meaning ‘paved way’ or ‘to pave.’ The sense extended from a literal road to a broader urban area or thoroughfare forming the social and commercial spine of a town. Early English usage appears in medieval charters and city records, where a street was understood as a wide, public way often bordered by houses. Over time, the pronunciation and spelling stabilized into streets with the final -s representing the plural or generic sense of multiple roadways. The semantic expansion to “streets” as a district or environment gained traction in the 18th and 19th centuries as cities grew and neighborhoods were colloquially named by their main thoroughfares. Public governance and urban planning influenced the use, making ‘streets’ both literal roads and figurative scenes of daily life in literature and speech. First known written instances commonly appeared in legal or municipal documents, with literary examples following as city life and street culture became more central to English expression.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "streets" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "streets" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "streets"
-ats sounds
-ets sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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