VAY-purz
/ˈveɪpɚz/
vapors is pronounced VAY-purz (/ˈveɪpɚz/). Vapors is the plural of vapor: a misty or gaseous substance that rises from a liquid or solid, typically at room temperature. The term can also refer to inhaled vapors in medical or recreational contexts. It denotes states of matter as gases formed from vaporization, often carried by light, airy sound and slight aspiration in everyday usage.
Vapors is the plural of vapor: a misty or gaseous substance that rises from a liquid or solid, typically at room temperature. The term can also refer to inhaled vapors in medical or recreational contexts. It denotes states of matter as gases formed from vaporization, often carried by light, airy sound and slight aspiration in everyday usage.
"The kitchen filled with pleasant vapors as the tea steamed."
"Industrial safety rules require masks when vapors are present."
"She inhaled the vapors from the essential oil diffuser."
You pronounce it as /ˈveɪ.pɚz/ in the US and /ˈveɪ.pəz/ in both UK and AU. The first syllable carries primary stress. The second syllable uses a rhotacized or rhot-tinged vowel; in General American, the 'er' is /ɚ/ (schwa+r). In UK/AU, the second syllable is more /ə/ with a softer rhotic influence in connected speech. End with a voiced z. Tip: keep the /eɪ/ diphthong intact, then relax the jaw for the unstressed second syllable.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress, saying /ˈveɪ.pɔrz/ with a wrong vowel in the second syllable; correct by using /ˈveɪ.pɚz/ (US) or /ˈveɪ.pəz/ (UK/AU). (2) Slurring the second syllable into the first, causing /ˈveɪpərz/ with an almost single beat; separate the syllables clearly and maintain only a light nucleus in the second vowel. (3) Final /z/ devoicing in careful speech; ensure voicing to /z/. Practice with deliberate voicing contrast: say “vapors” twice, focusing on the final z.
US: /ˈveɚˌpɚz/ or /ˈveɪ.pɚz/ with rhotic /ɹ/ and reduced second syllable /ɚ/. UK/AU: /ˈveɪ.pəz/ with non-rhotacized /əz/ or /ɒ/ flavor in some dialects; non-rhotic tendencies may reduce the /r/ in coda position. The main vowel in first syllable remains a clear /eɪ/ diphthong; final /z/ is unvoiced in careful speech but voiced in natural speech. Summary: stress on first syllable, second syllable reduced vowel, final voiced consonant, with rhoticity stronger in US.
Because it combines a stressed front vowel with a quick, reduced second syllable plus a final voiced fricative /z/. The /eɪ/ diphthong in the first syllable must lead smoothly into a lax /ɚ/ or /ə/ without gliding. Mouth position shifts—from a wide mouth for /eɪ/ to a relaxed, neutral vowel for /ɚ/ or /ə/—can cause consonant vowel misalignment and a mis-timed z sound. Practicing with careful syllable separation helps you stabilize the transition.
Unique aspect: the second syllable often carries a reduced schwa with an /r/ coloring in US. If you strongly pronounce /ɚ/ you’ll sound American; if you use /ə/ or /ə̞/ with reduced rhotic influence, you’ll sound more British/Australian. Pay attention to the tonal slip between syllables, ensuring the second vowel remains lighter than the first. This subtle schwa realization is a reliable discriminator in listening tests.
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Vapors derives from Middle English vapour (British spelling vapour) from Old French vapor, from Latin vapor (steam, warmth, breath). The Latin root is vap-, meaning steam or heat, with -or, -ous suffix evolution to form nouns indicating a state or quality. The word entered English in the 14th century via Norman influence, originally akin to moisture or foggy exhalation. Early senses emphasized visible exhalations from liquids, later extending to any gaseous form or airborne substance, including metaphorical uses (e.g., vapors of memory). American English standardized vapor with American spelling vapor, while British English retains vapour; both share the same etymology. Over time, “vapors” has grown to cover medical inhalants, industrial fumes, and poetic usage, retaining core ideas of gaseous effluence and transient atmospheric presence. First known uses center on describing breathing out or emanation of steam in both literal and figurative senses, evolving to the modern plural form used in science, safety, and everyday description of gas-like substances.
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Words that rhyme with "vapors"
-ers sounds
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