One syllable: Thrush.
thruhsh
/θɹʌʃ/
Thrush is pronounced thruhsh (/θɹʌʃ/). It has one syllable (Thrush), with the stress on "Thrush". Thrush is a noun that refers to a small, migratory songbird in the thrush family, or more commonly in medical contexts to describe a fungal infection (oral thrush). It denotes something humming or croaking with a rough voice. In everyday speech, the word also appears in phrases describing symptoms or occurrences related to mouth infections.
nounThrush is a noun that refers to a small, migratory songbird in the thrush family, or more commonly in medical contexts to describe a fungal infection (oral thrush). It denotes something humming or croaking with a rough voice. In everyday speech, the word also appears in phrases describing symptoms or occurrences related to mouth infections.
"The thrush sang softly from the hedgerow in the early morning."
"Medical textbooks describe oral thrush as white patches on the tongue and mouth."
"She was diagnosed with thrush and started a course of antifungal medication."
Pronounce it as /θɹʌʃ/ in US/UK/AU. Start with the voiceless dental fricative θ, then a rhotic-ish /ɹ/ sound, followed by the short vowel /ʌ/ as in 'strut,' and end with /ʃ/ as in 'sheep.' Stress is on the single syllable (monosyllabic). Tip: keep the tongue blade near the upper teeth for θ, then quickly move into a relaxed, rounded /ɹ/ with a small burst of air before the /ʃ/.
Common errors: (1) Replacing θ with f or t, making 'frush' or 'frush' instead of 'thrush.' Correct by placing tongue tip lightly on upper teeth and forcing air without voicing. (2) Over-emphasizing the /ɹ/, producing a strong 'r' before the vowel; keep a light, quick /ɹ/ sound. (3) Mispronouncing /ʃ/ as /s/ or /tʃ/; aim for a soft, elongated /ʃ/. Practice the transition: θ + ɹ → ʃ with a quick glide.
In US/UK/AU, /θɹʌʃ/ is the standard; rhotics are variable. US tends to have a darker /ɹ/ and clearer /ʃ/. UK often maintains a crisper dental fricative with less aggressive rhotic influence in non-rhotic accents, so you might hear a weaker /ɹ/ in some sets. Australian tends to a pronounced /ɹ/ at times with slight vowel shortening; the /θ/ remains unvoiced dental, but vowel duration can feel slightly shorter. Overall, the difference is subtle; focus on dental fricative and the /ʃ/ ending.
The difficulty lies in the combination of a voiceless dental fricative /θ/ followed by a rhotic /ɹ/ in a single syllable, then transitioning to /ʌ/ and ending with /ʃ/. This sequence requires precise tongue placement: tip on the teeth for θ, then a quick tongue retraction to form /ɹ/, and finally a broad, palatal /ʃ/. The lack of vowel reduction and the short duration add to the challenge; practice by isolating each phoneme and smoothing transitions.
Thrush is pronounced with all letters contributing: θ (th), ɹ (r), ʌ (uh), ʃ (sh). There is no silent letter. The tricky part is blending θ into ɹ and then into the vowel and final /ʃ/; this gives the single, efficient syllable. Visualize the order as dental fricative → light rhotic onset → short vowel → palato-alveolar fricative.
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Thrush comes from Old English thrysce or thrusce, related to the Proto-Germanic *thruska. The word refers primarily to a family of perching birds with patterned plumage and a melodious song. In Middle English, thrush was used to denote the common songbird known for its thrumming, melodic calls, particularly in hedgerows. The medical use of thrush (Candida infection) arose in the 19th century as physicians compared the white, patchy lesions to the pale mouth of the thrush bird, describing the appearance as thrush-like. First known written use of thrush as a bird name appears in Old English and later Middle English texts, with citations in natural history and folklore indicating the bird’s significance in rural life. Over time, the term broadened to describe other thrush-like phenomena in medicine (oral thrush) due to visual resemblance of lesions to the plumage pattern or the crusting color around the mouth, while still retaining the primary sense related to the bird in general usage. The shift from a purely avian meaning to a medical one reflects metaphorical naming practices common in 18th- to 19th-century medicine, where visual comparison to familiar animals aided diagnosis and communication.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Thrush" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Thrush" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Thrush"
-ush sounds
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