TROO-purz
/ˈtɹupɚz/
troopers is pronounced TROO-purz (/ˈtɹupɚz/). Troopers refers to members of a military or police unit organized to perform patrol or security duties; it can also describe supporters or participants in a movement described as “troopers” in a collective sense. The term conveys disciplined, organized personnel who engage in patrol, combat, or enforcement activities. It implies a formal role within an armed or security-focused organization.
Troopers refers to members of a military or police unit organized to perform patrol or security duties; it can also describe supporters or participants in a movement described as “troopers” in a collective sense. The term conveys disciplined, organized personnel who engage in patrol, combat, or enforcement activities. It implies a formal role within an armed or security-focused organization.
"The state troopers cleared the highway after the accident."
"Several Civil War reenactors wore authentic-looking troopers’ uniforms."
"She joined the border patrol and became one of the frontline troopers."
Pronounce as two syllables with primary stress on the first: /ˈtruː.pərz/ in US, /ˈtruː.pəz/ in UK/AU. Start with a long 'oo' as in 'true', then an unstressed second syllable with a light schwa or /ɚ/ depending on accent, and end with a clear /z/ in plural form. Lip rounding is modest, tongue high in the front of the mouth for the /uː/, then a relaxed mid-back vowel for /ər/ before the final /z/. You’ll hear a quick, even rhythm; aim for a clean transition from /uː/ to /ər/. Audio reference: [listen to examples on pronunciation resources].
Two common errors: 1) weakening the second syllable too much, producing /ˈtruː.pɚ/ or /ˈtruː.pɔː/ without the final /z/, which sounds incomplete. 2) Slurring the /r/ or misplacing the stress, yielding /ˈtrupərz/ or /ˈtruː.pər/ with unclear final consonant. Correction: keep a crisp /ɚ/ or /ər/ in the second syllable, ensure the final /z/ is audible, and maintain the primary stress on the first syllable with a brief nucleus on the second. Practicing minimal pairs with and without final /z/ helps solidify the ending.
In US English, you’ll typically hear /ˈtruː.pərz/ with a rhotic /r/ in the second syllable and a voiced final /z/. UK/AU speakers often reduce the second syllable to a schwa, giving /ˈtruː.pəz/ or /ˈtruː.pəz/, with non-rhoticity in some accents affecting the /r/ realization, though many speakers still produce a postvocalic /r/ in connected speech. Australian English tends toward /ˈtruː.pəz/ with a lighter, less retroflex /ɹ/ and a strong, clear final /z/. Always listen for the final voiced z in natural speech.
The challenge lies in the cluster transition from the long, tense /uː/ to a reduced central vowel in /ər/ or /ə/ and then to the final /z/. Coarticulation makes the /r/ or /ɹ/ hard to articulate cleanly for non-rhotic speakers, and getting the final /z/ voiced without voicing the preceding schwa can be tricky in rapid speech. Focused practice on the /uː/ to /ər/ shift and a crisp final /z/ helps maintain clarity and reduces vowel reduction errors.
Remember the first syllable carries the load: /ˈtruː/. Keep the mouth rounded for the /uː/ with the tongue high and back, then quickly move to a lighter /ə/ or /ər/ in the second syllable before the final /z/. Visualize a two-beat rhythm: a strong onset /truː/ followed by a light, quick /pərz/ in connected speech; practice saying /ˈtruː.pərz/ slowly, then at natural speed. This helps reinforce the two-syllable structure and the final z sound.
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Troopers comes from the early modern English term troop, from the Old French troupe and the Latin troppa, meaning a company of soldiers or a body of people. The word troop entered English in the sense of a group of soldiers in the Middle Ages, evolving to refer to a detachment within a larger army. The suffix -er is a common agentive ending in English, turning troop into trooper, denoting a person who belongs to or serves within a troop. The plural -s marks more than one trooper. The term gained specialized connotations in police and highway patrol contexts in the 19th and 20th centuries, where “troopers” meant police officers attached to a patrol unit. Over time, “troopers” has also appeared in civilian or metaphorical senses to describe supporters or participants associated with a movement or campaign, reinforcing its sense of collective, mission-driven action. First known uses in English appear in early modern texts, with recorded usages tied to disciplined groups operating in patrol and enforcement roles. In contemporary usage, troopers are understood as trained personnel who operate within a structured unit, whether military, police, or security-focused organizations, emphasizing professional conduct, readiness, and teamwork.
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Words that rhyme with "troopers"
-ers sounds
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