2 syllables: Ther, mos. Stress on Ther.
THUR-muhs
/ˈθɝməs/
Thermos is pronounced THUR-muhs (/ˈθɝməs/). It has two syllables (Ther-mos), with the stress on "Ther". As a noun, a portable, insulated container for hot or cold beverages. The word refers specifically to a vacuum-sealed bottle designed to maintain temperature, commonly used for coffee or soup. It derives from Greek roots and entered English via late 19th-century usage, evolving from generic “thermo-” concepts to a branded sense of a durable vessel.
nounA portable, insulated container for hot or cold beverages. The word refers specifically to a vacuum-sealed bottle designed to maintain temperature, commonly used for coffee or soup. It derives from Greek roots and entered English via late 19th-century usage, evolving from generic “thermo-” concepts to a branded sense of a durable vessel.
How to Pronounce Thermos
"I poured coffee into the thermos before hiking.”"
"The thermos kept the tea hot all afternoon."
"She gasped when the thermos clinked against the mug in the dishwasher."
Thermos is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈθɜːr·mɒs/ in UK and US English (US often pronounced /ˈθɜːr.moʊs/ in some American varieties). The key is a clear /ɜː/ vowel in the first syllable and a short, crisp /m/ followed by /ɒs/ or /moʊs/ depending on regional vowel color. Think: THUR-moss, with a long, tense first vowel and a consonant closure before the final /s/.
Common mistakes include saying /ˈθɛr.mɔs/ using a short /e/ instead of /ɜː/ and making the second syllable /-mos/ too open, like /moʊs/. Some speakers also reduce the first syllable to /θɜr/ without a full vowel, or blend the syllables into /ˈθɜːrməs/ with an extra schwa. To correct: hold the /ɜː/ sound longer, make the second syllable light but clear, and avoid adding an extra vowel between /r/ and /m/.” ,
In US English you’ll often hear /ˈθɜːr.moʊs/ or /ˈθɜːr.mɒs/ with rhotic /r/. UK/AU normally use /ˈθɜː.mɒs/ or /ˈθɜː.mos/ with non-rhotic tendencies; the first syllable features a longer /ɜː/ and the second syllable is clipped as /mɒs/. In some American dialects, the second syllable can have an /oʊ/ diphthong, whereas in British English it tends to be a shorter /ɒ/ or /ɒ/ vowel.” ,
The difficulty stems from the central vowel /ɜː/ in the first syllable and the short, clipped second syllable, which can easily slur in rapid speech. English does not always keep the /ɜː/ distinct, and some speakers substitute /ɜː/ with /ɜ/ or /ɝ/. The combination of /θ/ at the start, an unstressed second syllable, and the final /s/ also invites over-articulation. Focus on a clean /ɜː/ and a crisp, unaccented /m/ before /ɒ/ or /oʊ/.” ,
A distinctive feature is the clear onset /θ/ followed by a strong, tense /ɜː/ vowel; many learners mispronounce it as /θɪər/ or /tɜːr/ while diluting the /m/ into a softer sound. The second syllable relies on a compact /m/ plus a short, clipped vowel; avoid adding a vowel between /m/ and /ɒ/ or /oʊ/. In practice, say THUR-moss with a crisp transition from /ɜː/ to /m/ to /ɒs/.
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Thermos comes from Greek thermos meaning hot, heat, or warmth. The English adoption leverages the combining form thermo- as a prefix, but here it’s a standalone noun indicating a container. The nameologia is tied to the broader 19th-century scientific interest in heat and insulation. The term gained popularity as portable hydration and food containers became common, and “thermos” began to be used generically for insulated bottles, eventually becoming a genericized trademark in everyday speech. The brand Thermos LLC helped cement the word in consumer language, but the generic form remains widely used. The first known uses trace to late 1800s English, aligning with industrial innovation in bottle-making and vacuum insulation concepts. As a word, thermos represents both a technology descriptor and a product name that became a common noun. Over time, the pronunciation and spelling stabilized, though regional variation in stress and syllable emphasis can appear in informal speech. In modern usage, thermos is recognized as a standard noun for a vacuum-insulated bottle, with occasional capitalization when referring to a brand name, depending on regional branding conventions.
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Words that rhyme with "Thermos"
-ems sounds
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