TUR-noh-vur
/ˈtɝˌnoʊvɚ/
turnover is pronounced TUR-noh-vur (/ˈtɝˌnoʊvɚ/). Turnover refers to the act of turning something over or the rate at which something is replaced or rotated, such as inventory turnover in business or staff turnover in an organization. It can also describe a pastry filled with fruit and baked as a turnover. The term often conveys movement, replacement, or turnover of items, people, or goods within a system. 2-4 sentences in plain terms, focusing on core meaning across contexts.
Turnover refers to the act of turning something over or the rate at which something is replaced or rotated, such as inventory turnover in business or staff turnover in an organization. It can also describe a pastry filled with fruit and baked as a turnover. The term often conveys movement, replacement, or turnover of items, people, or goods within a system. 2-4 sentences in plain terms, focusing on core meaning across contexts.
"The factory’s turnover rate increased after the new shifts were introduced."
"We analyze inventory turnover to optimize stock levels."
"Employee turnover remains high due to unsatisfactory benefits and management changes."
Turnover is pronounced with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈtɜːrˌnoʊvər/ in General American. In practical terms: start with a tense, mid-central vowel /ɜː/ as in 'bird' for 'turn', relax to /noʊ/ for the second syllable, and end with /vər/. Keep the /r/ only if you’re rhotic; in non-rhotic accents the /r/ may be weaker or linking. Focus on making the first syllable slightly longer than the second and ensure the /n/ is clearly enunciated before the /oʊ/ diphthong. You’ll hear the contrast between the stressed first syllable and the lighter second part in continuous speech. IPA: US /ˈtɜːrˌnoʊvər/, UK /ˈtɜːnˌəʊvə/, AU /ˈtɜːnˌəʊvə/.
Two frequent errors: 1) Flattening the /ɜː/ to a plain /ɜ/ or /ə/ sounds like 'tuh-noh-ver', which loses the proper American vowel quality. 2) Misplacing the secondary stress or slurring /ˌnoʊ/ into /noʊ/ too quickly, making the word sound like 'turn-oh-ver' without clear /ˈtɜːr/. Correction: keep the /ɜːr/ nucleus with slight r-coloring if rhotic, lengthen the first vowel just a touch, and enunciate the /n/ before the /oʊ/ clearly. For non-rhotic speakers, ensure the final /r/ is softened but present in linking contexts. IPA: US /ˈtɜːrˌnoʊvər/; practice with separate syllables before blending.
In US English, /ˈtɜːrˌnoʊvər/ with rhotic /r/ and a clear /ˈtɜːr/. UK English tends to a shorter /ɜː/ and a lighter /ɔv/ transition, sometimes sounding like /ˈtɜːnˌəʊvə/ with less rhoticity in careful speech. Australian English typically contains a longer /əʊ/ diphthong in the second syllable and retains a rhotic or non-rhotic blend depending on speaker and region; typically /ˈtɜːnˌəʊvə/ with a more open vowel in the first syllable. All share the stress position on the first syllable, but vowel qualities and rhoticity vary subtly. IPA: US /ˈtɜːrˌnoʊvər/, UK /ˈtɜːnˌəʊvə/, AU /ˈtɜːnˌəʊvə/.
The difficulty lies in accurately producing the /ɜːr/ vowel nucleus and the sequence /noʊ/ that blends into /vər/. The /ɜːr/ requires a mid-back tongue position with slight r-coloring, which can be unfamiliar for non-rhotic speakers. The second syllable has a distinct /noʊ/ diphthong that must glide smoothly into /vər/, and the final /ər/ can reduce to a schwa+r in rapid speech. Practicing each component slowly helps, then blending while maintaining the stress pattern. IPA: US /ˈtɜːrˌnoʊvər/; focus on /ɜːr/ and /noʊ/ sequences.
A common query is whether the second syllable should be pronounced as /noʊ/ or /nəʊ/ in various accents, and how to connect the /r/ at the end. In rhotic accents (US), you retain a pronounced /r/ in the final syllable, giving /ˈtɜːrˌnoʊvər/. In non-rhotic UK accents, the final /r/ may be weaker or non-pronounced, influencing the trailing sound to resemble /ˈtɜːnəʊvə/ or /ˈtɜːnəʊvə/. Focus on the sequences: /tɜːr/ plus /noʊ/ plus /vər/.
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Turnover combines turn, meaning to rotate or pivot, with over, indicating movement to the other side or beyond. The word appears in Middle English as turnen ower or turnover, with early senses tied to physical turning or flipping, and later extended to abstract notions of replacement or turnover in commerce and employment. The sense related to inventory turnover emerged in commercial contexts as merchants tracked how quickly goods moved through a stockroom, prompting faster restocking or markdowns. The pastry sense, turnover (a folded pastry filled with fruit) likely developed from the verb turn over to describe the action of folding or flipping the pastry to seal in the filling during baking. Over time, the term adopted specialized meanings in economics, human resources, and everyday language, while retaining its core sense of rotation or replacement. First known uses appear in English texts from the 16th century, with continued evolution into modern business jargon and culinary naming conventions that emphasize process and movement.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "turnover" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "turnover"
-ver sounds
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