toomz
/tumz/
tombs is pronounced toomz (/tumz/). Tombs is the plural form of tomb, meaning a repository for a corpse or dead bodies, typically underground or stone-built. In modern usage it also refers to a burial chamber or burial places collectively. The word emphasizes the concept of final resting places, and its plural form appears in discussions of archaeology, history, or cemetery contexts.
Tombs is the plural form of tomb, meaning a repository for a corpse or dead bodies, typically underground or stone-built. In modern usage it also refers to a burial chamber or burial places collectively. The word emphasizes the concept of final resting places, and its plural form appears in discussions of archaeology, history, or cemetery contexts.
- You’ll often over-articulate the b, trying to pronounce it; instead, let the b be silent and glide straight from /uː/ into /m/ using a single mouth position. •- The ending /z/ can fade if you close your vocal cords too soon; keep voicing through the end for a clean /z/ rather than an /s/. •- Some speakers insert a tiny extra vowel before the final consonant; aim for a tight, one-syllable word: /tuːmz/.
"The ancient tombs were carved directly into the cliff face."
"Several tombs were discovered along the quiet hillside."
"The museum showcased a collection of royal tombs from the dynasty."
In standard American and British English, tombs is pronounced with a silent b and a voiced /m/ followed by /z/: /tuːmz/. The /b/ is not sounded, so you hear /tuːmz/ as if it were 'tooms' with a final z sound. Focus on the long 'oo' as in 'tune' and then the /mz/ cluster. Mouth position: lips rounded for /uː/, tongue high and back for /uː/, then quickly glide into a voicing /m/ without a separate bibilabial release, ending with /z/.
Common errors: (1) Pronouncing the b as audible, saying /tɔːmbz/ or /tuːmbz/. (2) De-voicing the final z to s, giving /tuːmz/ vs /tuːmz/; ensure you voice the final /z/. (3) Treating as two syllables (toom- b z); keep it as a single syllable /tuːmz/. Replacement tip: practice blending m and z: say /tuːm/ and immediately add a voiced /z/ without a stop.
In US and UK standard accents, /tuːmz/ with a long /uː/. US often retains rhoticity; UK non-rhotic speakers may have stronger vowel quality variation but still /tuːmz/. Australian tends to centralize vowels slightly but often keeps /tuːmz/ clearly; the final /z/ remains voiced. The main difference is the vowel quality before the /m/: US may sound a tad tenser; UK can sound broader with less diphthong change.
The challenge lies in the silent b and the smooth transition from the long vowel /uː/ to the /m/ and finally a voiced /z/. You must avoid releasing a /b/ or a separate syllable. The /z/ in /mz/ can blur with the preceding /m/ if you’re not maintaining voicing. Mastery requires sustaining the /uː/ quality, then a quick m z cluster without an extra consonant.
A useful nuance is the /mz/ cluster where the /m/ ends and the /z/ starts with minimal glottal effort; keep the voice on for the /z/ without a noisy release. This often sounds like a single rapid closure instead of two distinct sounds, which is a common slip when rushing speech.
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- US vs UK vs AU: US often has a tighter /tuːmz/ with greater tongue tension and a clear /z/. UK speakers may emphasize the length of /uː/ and the /m/ as a single, rounded approach; Australian tends to a slightly more centralized vowel before /m/, but still /tuːmz/. IPA references: US /tuːmz/, UK /tuːmz/, AU /tuːmz/. Consonant mouth positions: keep lips rounded for /uː/, jaw relaxed, then nasal /m/; end with a voiced /z/ with steady voicing.
Tombs derives from Middle English tomb, from Old English tomb, from Latin tumba, borrowed from Greek tumba (a burial mound, tomb). The root in Proto-Indo-European suggests a hollowed space or burial chamber. In Latin, tumba referred to a tomb or grave, while Greek usage emphasized a burial mound; the term entered English by the early medieval period through ecclesiastical or Latin learning. Over centuries, tombs shifted from generic burial mplaces to architecturally distinct stone chambers and mausoleums. The plural form tombs emerged as a straightforward pluralization of tomb, aligning with normal English plural formation for count nouns. In literature, “tombs” appears in religious and historical contexts, often invoking permanence and mystery. The word’s evolution mirrors changing burial practices, from simple graves to elaborate subterranean vaults and monumental tomb architecture. First known use in English traces to the 9th–12th centuries, with attestations in legal and religious texts, gradually becoming common in romance and epic poetry as a descriptor for collective burial sites. Today, tombs evokes both antiquarian fascination and contemporary discussions about heritage and archaeology.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tombs" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "tombs"
-mbs sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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