TEEM-sturz
/ˈtimstɚz/
teamsters is pronounced TEEM-sturz (/ˈtimstɚz/). Teamsters refers to members of the Teamsters Union, a labor union representing a broad range of workers, notably drivers and warehouse personnel. The term also generically denotes people who work in teams or groups, often in logistics or transportation contexts. In usage, it usually appears as a proper noun when referring to the union, or as a plural common noun in contexts discussing collective labor groups.
Teamsters refers to members of the Teamsters Union, a labor union representing a broad range of workers, notably drivers and warehouse personnel. The term also generically denotes people who work in teams or groups, often in logistics or transportation contexts. In usage, it usually appears as a proper noun when referring to the union, or as a plural common noun in contexts discussing collective labor groups.
"The Teamsters Union negotiated a new contract for truck drivers."
"Several teamsters from the local depot participated in the strike."
"The teamsters loaded the pallets with precision and speed."
Pronounce as /ˈtiːm.stɚz/ in US English, with primary stress on the first syllable. The first part sounds like 'team' (long i: /iː/), the second is a schwa-like /ɚ/ (rhotic) followed by a voiced /z/. In UK English, it’s /ˈtiːm.stə.z/ with a non-rhotic final, so the second syllable ends with a clear /ə/ before /z/. Australian typically aligns with US in rhoticity but can slightly reduce the second syllable: /ˈtiːm.stəz/ or /ˈtiːm.stəɹz/ depending on speaker.
Common errors: misplacing stress (say ‘TEA-msters’ with equal emphasis); pronouncing the second syllable as /-ər-/ without the rhotic schwa in US; pronouncing as /ˈtiːm.staɹz/ with a non-voiced 'z' or mispronouncing the second syllable as /-əs/; corrections: keep primary stress on TEAM-, produce /ɚ/ in rhotic US, finalize with /z/. In UK, avoid /ə/ after /st/ being too full; keep /stəz/ or /stə.z/ depending on accent.
In US English, /ˈtiːm.stɚz/ with rhotic /ɚ/. UK English typically /ˈtiːm.stə(z)/, non-rhotic: the second syllable ends with a schwa-like /ə/ before /z/ or may sound as /-əz/; Australian often /ˈtiːm.stəz/ with rhoticity variable but tends toward /ə/ or /ɜː/ in the second syllable, and the first syllable remains /tiːm/. All share primary stress on the first syllable, but the second syllable vowel quality and rhoticity vary.
Two main challenges: the cluster /m.st/ in fast speech can blur; the second syllable /ɚ/ is a rhotic vowel that many non-native speakers find hard to produce accurately, leading to /ə/ or /ɜː/ mispronunciations. Also, distinguishing /z/ voice after a vowel in a nasalized or reduced syllable can be tricky. Practice focusing on the transition from /m/ to /st/ and securing a clear, voiced final /z/.
The word ends with -sters, a pluralized suffix where the final consonant is voiced /z/. Some learners convert to /-stəz/ or /-stɜː/ in non-rhotic accents, risking a mismatched final consonant. The key is to keep the /z/ voice and avoid devoicing in rapid speech; ensure the second syllable has a clear rhotic or reduced schwa depending on accent, while maintaining the primary stress on TEAM-.
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Teamster originates from the Old French word tasse (basket) via the English sense of a person who carries or loads goods, a job associated with burden-bearing. The modern sense emerged in 18th–19th century America, where wagoners and mule drivers who transported freight organized into labor groups. The term gradually came to denote workers who operate teams of horses or drivers in load-haulage tasks, especially in the trucking and freight sectors. The Teamsters Union itself was founded in 1903 in Chicago as a federation of local unions representing workers in transportation and related trades, with early aims to secure better wages, hours, and working conditions. Its name solidified as the American Federation of Labor-affiliated Teamsters joined broader labor movements, expanding to represent not only drivers but warehouse workers, freight handlers, and logistics personnel across North America. The word has since retained its identity as both a occupational descriptor and a specific historic union name. First known uses appear in 19th-century shipping and road-haulage records, with the modern union terminology appearing prominently by the early 20th century.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "teamsters" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "teamsters"
-ers sounds
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