3 syllables: Tor, toi, ses. Stress on Tor.
TAWR-tuh-suhz
/ˈtɔɹtəsəz/
Tortoises is pronounced TAWR-tuh-suhz (/ˈtɔɹtəsəz/). It has three syllables (Tor-toi-ses), with the stress on "Tor". Tortoises is the plural form of tortoise, a slow-moving land-dwelling reptile with a hard shell. Used primarily in biology and everyday speech, it refers to multiple individuals of the Chelonian family. The term emphasizes the animal’s shell-backed body and long lifespan, and it is commonly heard in educational, zoological, and conservation contexts.
nounTortoises is the plural form of tortoise, a slow-moving land-dwelling reptile with a hard shell. Used primarily in biology and everyday speech, it refers to multiple individuals of the Chelonian family. The term emphasizes the animal’s shell-backed body and long lifespan, and it is commonly heard in educational, zoological, and conservation contexts.
- You may drop or misplace the long /ɔː/ in the first syllable, saying /tɒr/ or /tɔ/ briefly. Ensure you hold the vowel longer before the /r/. - The second syllable often reduces too much; keep a clear /tə/ rather than a strong /təː/ or /tiː/. This preserves the natural three-syllable rhythm. - Final /z/ can become a voiceless /s/ in fast speech; train to voice the final consonant distinctly. Practice with hold-and-release of /z/ to avoid devoicing. - Misplacing stress by emphasizing the second syllable; always start with primary stress on the first syllable, with a light secondary emphasis on the last syllable in natural speech. - Coarticulation with surrounding words can blur the /ɔː/; isolate and then blend into phrases to maintain vowel quality.
"Researchers observed two tortoises crossing the savanna in the early morning."
"The tortoises displayed remarkable patience as they foraged for leafy greens."
"Conservation programs aim to protect tortoises from habitat loss and predation."
Pronounce as /ˈtɔːr.tə.ˌsiz/ in US and UK; the primary stress is on the first syllable, with a secondary stress on the final -siz portion. Begin with /t/ followed by a long open-mid back vowel /ɔː/, then /r/ with light rhoticity. The middle syllable uses a schwa-like /ə/. End with /siz/ where /s/ and /z/ are distinct; ensure the final /z/ sound is voiced. Listen to native input for rhythm: TOR-toi-siz with a crisp ending.
Two frequent errors: 1) Misplacing stress, saying to-RO-tuh-sis or toor-TOYs-iz. 2) Flattening /ɔː/ to /ɒ/ or /ɑ/ or mispronouncing the /t/ as a flap. Correction: keep a clear long /ɔː/ at the first syllable, ensure /r/ is lightly pronounced, and articulate /ə/ in the second syllable. For the final -siz, maintain voicing for /z/ and avoid a de-voiced /s/. Practice slowly with a mirror to monitor lip rounding and vowel length.
US/UK share ˈtɔːr.tə.ɪz (US often ˈtɔːr.təsɪz). In US, rhotic /r/ is pronounced; /ɔː/ breathes longer; the middle /ə/ is schwa-like; final /iz/ is a voiced /z/. UK non-rhotic tends to be /ˈtɔː.tə.ɪz/ with a subtler /r/ and slightly tighter vowel; AU often leans toward a slightly shorter /ɔ/ and a marked /ɪ/ or /ə/ in the final syllable, with a mild Australian vowel quality. Overall, the major variation is rhoticity and vowel length.
Because it involves a long /ɔː/ in stressed first syllable, a schwa-like /ə/ in the second, and a voiced final /z/ after a sibilant cluster; the three-syllable rhythm with shifting stress can trip non-native speakers. Additionally, the /r/ in non-rhotic environments and the transition from /t/ to /ə/ can produce a clipped or rushed pronunciation. Focus on keeping the /ɔː/ long, the middle /ə/ relaxed, and the final /z/ clear.
The unique feature is the combination of a long fronted /ɔː/ vowel in the initial syllable, a soft /ə/ in the middle, and a voiced /z/ at the end, creating a three-beat rhythm: TOR-tuh-ziz. Practicing with minimal pairs showing contrasts such as 'tortoise' vs 'tortoises' helps solidify the final z-sound and stress shift.
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- US: maintain rhotic /r/ and clear /ɔː/; ensure /t/ is released and not flapped; keep /z/ voiced and crisp. - UK: non-rhotic tendency; /r/ is less pronounced; the /ɔː/ remains long; the final /z/ should be voiced; avoid over-aspirating the /t/ - AU: vowel values tend to be flatter; keep the middle /ə/ relaxed; final /z/ might sound softer but should remain voiced. IPA guides help: /ˈtɔː.tə.ɪz/ (UK) vs /ˈtɔːr.tə.ɪz/ (US).
The word tortoise derives from Old French tortue, from Latin testūdō meaning ‘turtle’ or ‘shell’ (also linked to testa, ‘shell’). The plural tortoises emerged in English to denote more than one tortoise, with pronunciation aligning to the plural pattern of many English triplets ending in -uses. The current form in modern English reflects irregular plural formation (tortoise → tortoises) and is influenced by orthographic assimilation to the -ose base, making the final -ises a natural pluralization. First attested in Middle English, tortoise itself has roots in Latin and Greek through taxonomic classification of reptiles; over time, the plural developed to distinguish multiple individuals in naturalistic and scientific discourse, while retaining the original stress pattern influenced by its monosyllabic root plus the plural suffix. The evolution also mirrors broader shifts in English where multisyllabic animal terms acquire plural -es endings to preserve phonotactic consistency across words like 'tortoises' and 'kangaroos'.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Tortoises" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Tortoises"
-ses sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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