2 syllables: Tour, ist. Stress on Tour.
TUUR-uhst
/ˈtʊɹəst/
Tourist is pronounced TUUR-uhst (/ˈtʊɹəst/). It has two syllables (Tour-ist), with the stress on "Tour". Tourist is a person who travels to a place for pleasure, typically sightseeing. It denotes someone exploring a destination rather than a local resident, often eager to experience culture, landmarks, and attractions. The term covers travelers of various lengths of stay, from day trips to extended visits, and is commonly used in travel, hospitality, and media contexts.
nounTourist is a person who travels to a place for pleasure, typically sightseeing. It denotes someone exploring a destination rather than a local resident, often eager to experience culture, landmarks, and attractions. The term covers travelers of various lengths of stay, from day trips to extended visits, and is commonly used in travel, hospitality, and media contexts.
"The tourist flocked to the ancient ruins, snapping photos along the way."
"A tour guide pointed out the skyline as the bus crested the hill, signaling she was a seasoned tourist."
"Tourist shops lined the waterfront, selling postcards and local snacks."
Pronounce as TOOR-ist with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA US: /ˈtʊr.ɪst/; UK: /ˈtʊə.rɪst/; AU: /ˈtʊː.rɪst/. Start with a compact 'tour' sound, then a quick, unstressed 'ist'. Mouth positions: lips neutral to slightly spread for /tʊr/, then a light /ɪ/ before /st/.
Common errors: 1) Dropping the rhotic /r/ in American-style speech -> say /tʊr/ with a clear /r/. 2) Merging /r/ and /ɪ/ into a single uncertain vowel (e.g., /tuːrɪst/ or /tɔː.rəst/). 3) Reducing the /rɪ/ to a schwa before /st/ in rapid speech. Correction: keep /r/ as a pronounced rhotic consonant for US and practice /r/ followed by /ɪ/ rather than an abrupt vowel change. Practice: isolate /r/ and /ɪ/ in minimal pairs.
US typically /ˈtʊr.ɪst/ with rhotic /r/ and a short /ɪ/. UK often /ˈtʊə.rɪst/ with a diphthong in the first syllable and non-rhoticity in some dialects on slower speech, though many speakers are rhotic. Australian tends to /ˈtʊː.rɪst/ with a longer /ʊː/ in the first syllable and a clear /r/ when rhotic. Overall, vowel quality and rhoticity vary; the key is the first syllable vowel length and the presence of /r/.
Difficulties stem from the short, unstressed second syllable and the cluster /rt/ following a lax vowel. Additionally, the first syllable uses a tense vowel that can differ by accent (US /ʊ/ vs UK /ʊə/). Mouth positioning for /r/ in non-rhotic UK speech can be subtle. To master, practice maintaining clear /r/ without causing vowel drawing into /ə/; keep the /t/ crisp and follow with a light /ɪ/ before /st/.
In some UK dialects, the /r/ can be non-rhotic when followed by a non-rhotic vowel in connected speech, but in careful speech or American English, the /r/ remains pronounced as /r/ in /tʊr.ɪst/. For most learners, aim for a clear rhotics in American and many UK accents to avoid mispronouncing as /ˈtuːɪst/ or /ˈtəːrɪst/. Practicing with true rhoticity helps consistency.
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The word tourist comes from the French word touriste, derived from tour (a journey or trip) and the suffix -iste, indicating a person associated with an activity or practice. The root tour itself traces back to the Old French toursen, from Latin taurus?; more accurately, the Latin root is iter, itineris meaning journey or route, which in turn influenced medieval French tour, tour: a circuit or voyage. The suffix -ist marks a person who engages in or is associated with an activity, a pattern seen in many English loanwords. The earliest English uses of tourist appeared in the 19th century as mass travel and railway tourism grew in Europe and North America. Initially, tourists were mainly elites taking grand tours; by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, tourism became democratized, giving rise to a broader use of the term to describe anyone traveling for leisure rather than business. Over time, tourist acquired a neutral, rather than pejorative, tone and now commonly describes travelers who are visiting places of interest, often guided by maps, tours, and travel itineraries. Ongoing modern usage includes adjectives like touristy for places perceived as catering to visitors, sometimes with a slightly negative connotation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Tourist" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Tourist" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Tourist"
-ist sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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