3 syllables: U, ten, sils. Stress on ten.
yoo-TEN-suhlz
/juˈtɛnsəlz/
Utensils is pronounced yoo-TEN-suhlz (/juˈtɛnsəlz/). It has three syllables (U-ten-sils), with the stress on "ten". Utensils are hand-held tools used for eating or cooking, such as forks, knives, and spoons. The term can also refer to tools in a kitchen or workshop, collectively described as utensils. It’s a plural noun that emphasizes individual items within a category, rather than a single implement.
nounUtensils are hand-held tools used for eating or cooking, such as forks, knives, and spoons. The term can also refer to tools in a kitchen or workshop, collectively described as utensils. It’s a plural noun that emphasizes individual items within a category, rather than a single implement.
"Please set the table with forks, knives, and spoons, plus other utensils."
"The chef organized the utensils in a tray near the stove."
"They cleaned the utensils before starting to cook."
Utensils is pronounced as /ˈjuː.tən.səlz/ in US and UK. The primary stress lands on the first syllable: YOU-tən-silz. Start with the long /uː/ in “you,” move to a schwa or weak /ə/ in “ten” position, then a light /s/ before the final /əlz/ cluster. In connected speech you’ll hear a fleeting /ə/ vowel and a softer final /l/ before the voiced /z/. Audio reference: Pronounce and similar videos show the mouth opening and tongue positions for each segment.
Common errors include: (1) misplacing stress, saying yoo-TEN-suls with wrong initial emphasis; (2) merging /tən/ into /tən/ or incorrectly pronouncing the /l/ before the final z; (3) pronouncing the final -s as /s/ instead of /z/ in fluent speech. Correction tips: practice the sequence YOU-then-suhls, keep the /t/ soft, ensure the /l/ is light, and finish with a crisp /z/ to voice the final s. Using minimal pairs with other kitchen terms can help. IPA guides reinforce the correct segments.
In US and UK, /ˈjuː.tən.səlz/ with a rhotic or non-rhotic quality depending on the speaker, but the final /z/ is typically voiced. US often has a slightly fuller /ɔ/ or /ɑ/ in the second syllable; UK tends to a more clipped /ən/ and clearer /s/ before the final /əlz/. Australian tends to reduce the middle syllable similarly to UK but with a more centralized vowel in the second syllable. Practice listening to regional differences via pronunciation resources and mirror your mouth contact in each accent.
Difficult aspects include the /ˈjuː/ onset with a front rounded vowel and the /ˌtən/ cluster where the t and n blend quickly, plus the final /səlz/ combination. The transition from a closed front vowel to a mid-central schwa plus a final syllabic /z/ can trip non-native speakers. Focus on the three segments distinctly: YOU, tən, and soulful z. Gentle tongue relaxation after the /t/ helps the following /ən/ move into /səlz/ smoothly.
A unique feature is the light, almost muted second syllable /tən/ that glides into /s/ before the final /əlz/. The /t/ is typically a soft, unreleased stop in rapid speech; the /s/ in the second-to-last position links to the /ə/ sound for a smooth transition to /lz/. Emphasize the first syllable and maintain a quick but clear transition through the central vowel to the final voiced z.
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- US: Slight rhotacized vowels with a clear /z/ ending; keep the middle /ə/ neutral and the /t/ unreleased in casual speech. - UK: More clipped vowels, a crisper /t/ and a sharper /s/ before the final /əlz/. The /ɜː/ tone in some speakers may approach /ə/. - AU: Similar to UK, but with more centralized vowel quality; you may hear a slightly shorter middle syllable. In all variants, practice the sequence YOU-tən-səlz with IPA guidance and link the final z smoothly. - Reference IPA: US /ˈjuː.tən.səlz/, UK /ˈjuː.tən.səlz/, AU /ˈjuː.tən.səlz/.
Utensils derives from the Old French utensile, borrowed into Middle English as utensil, rooted in Latin utilis meaning useful, and French outil meaning tool. The path traces from Latin utilis (useful) through Old French utensil (tool, implement) and then into English as utensil by the 14th century. Early senses referred to equipment or implements used by workers, then narrowing to eating implements later. The plural form utensils became common as discussions of sets of tools or kitchen items flourished in households and trade contexts. The word’s core meaning centers on functional objects designed for specific tasks, especially in domestic and culinary environments. Over time, utensils expanded from general tools to distinctly recognizable categories (e.g., dining utensils, cooking utensils), with regional usage variations in spelling and pronunciation across English-speaking communities. First known use in print appears in Middle English texts; by the 15th–16th centuries, utensils as a plural noun referring to tools and implements was well established in literary and mercantile records. The term’s evolution tracks social changes—household organization, culinary practices, and industrial production—where standardized sets of utensils became common in kitchens and workshops worldwide.
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Words that rhyme with "Utensils"
-ox) sounds
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