2 syllables: Vict, uals. Stress on Vict.
VIT-uhlz
/ˈvɪt.əlz/
Victuals is pronounced VIT-uhlz (/ˈvɪt.əlz/). It has two syllables (Vict-uals), with the stress on "Vict". Victuals is a noun meaning provisions, food, or other items used to sustain an expedition or household. The term is historical and somewhat literary, often found in older texts or fantasy contexts. In modern usage it’s rare in everyday speech but remains recognizable in certain writers’ dialogue and in phrases like “victuals for the journey.”.
nounVictuals is a noun meaning provisions, food, or other items used to sustain an expedition or household. The term is historical and somewhat literary, often found in older texts or fantasy contexts. In modern usage it’s rare in everyday speech but remains recognizable in certain writers’ dialogue and in phrases like “victuals for the journey.”
- You will hear people say VICK-lets or VICK-tyuals; fix by clamping the second syllable to /təl/ with a schwa and a light -l- before the final z. - Second syllable stress: ensure you’re not giving equal stress or shifting to VIT-uhlz; keep VIT- first syllable stressed with a short, clipped second syllable. - Ending sound: ensure final z is voiced, not an unvoiced s; feel your throat as /z/.
How to Pronounce Victuals
"The captain secured the victuals before the voyage."
"Hunters stocked the camp with victuals for the week."
"We feasted on hearty victuals after the long hike."
Pronounce as /ˈvɪtəlz/ in US and many other dialects. The first syllable is stressed: VIT- (short i as in kit). The second syllable is a schwa + l, sounding like -təl-, and the final z is voiced. In careful speech you may hear the “t” as a light tap: VIT-təlz. Audio cues: try saying “vitae” quickly leading into “lze”; the cluster softens so it sounds like VIT-əlz. IPA: US /ˈvɪtəlz/; UK /ˈvɪtjəlz/ or /ˈvɪt.əlz/ depending on speaker.
Common errors: 1) pronouncing the second syllable as a full ‘you-uhl’ (as in ‘vital’); correct it to a reduced schwa with a light -l-: /təl/. 2) over-voicing or fully pronouncing the ‘t’ in the second syllable; typically the t is a quick, soft sound or even a light flap in some dialects. 3) misplacing stress, sometimes saying VIT- ayls. Correct by maintaining primary stress on the first syllable and reducing the second to /ə/. 4) mispronouncing the final consonant as an ‘s’ without voicing; ensure z voice. Practice with minimal pairs like VIT-əlz vs VIT-oolz.
In US, usually /ˈvɪtəlz/ with a clearer /t/ and a schwa in the second syllable. In UK, you may hear /ˈvɪtjəlz/ with a y-glide [j] in the second syllable (like vits-tyəlz), or /ˈvɪtəlz/. Australian tends toward /ˈvɪtəlz/ or /ˈvɪtjəlz/, similar to UK but with slightly hotter vowels and a non-rhotic pattern in some speakers. Overall, rhoticity doesn’t strongly affect victuals but the second syllable may show a y-like shaping in some accents. IPA references: US /ˈvɪtəlz/ or /ˈvɪtəlz/ depending on speaker.
Three main challenges: 1) the second syllable’s reduced vowel and weak consonant cluster /-təl-/ is easy to swallow; keep it crisp: /ˈvɪ-təlz/. 2) the final -s is voiced in many dialects as /z/ which is different from a plain /s/. 3) the overall word is archaic; ears expect a straightforward “food” word, so you must suppress routine “vick-CHO” or “vick-tyals” tendencies. Focus on maintaining strong first-syllable stress, a short schwa in the second syllable, and a voiced z sound at the end.
Unique question: does victuals ever get pronounced with a /s/ at the end? No; common pronunciations end with a clear /z/ (voiced z) when pluralized or in possessive contexts; the final s is voiced as z in most accents. The word remains a plural noun-like form historically tied to provisions, not a singular victual. The main feature is a quick second syllable /təl/ rather than /tjuː/ or /tʌl/.
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- US: emphasize the first syllable; /vɪtəlz/ with a short i. - UK: may have a slightly longer second syllable and a y-glide /ˈvɪtjəlz/; keep /t/ crisp and /z/ voice. - AU: similar to US but with more centralized vowels; maintain primary stress on first syllable and a light schwa in the second.
Victuals derives from the medieval French word victuaille, from Old French nourriture or victual, ultimately from Latin victus meaning ‘nourishment, food, a meal.’ The form victuals entered English in the late Middle Ages and carried the sense of provisions for sustenance. The plural form victuals stayed common through early modern periods particularly in nautical and military contexts, where ships’ stores and camp provisions were crucial. Over time, pronunciation shifted in many dialects—often pronounced as “VITT-uls” or “VIT- yellz”—while spelling preserved the historical root. Today, victuals is mostly encountered in literature, historical fiction, or fixed phrases (e.g., “victuals for the journey”). Its meaning remains tied to edible provisions, sometimes broadened to all sustained supplies in a given expedition. First known use in English literature traces to the 14th or 15th centuries, with attested spellings in Middle English texts as
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Words that rhyme with "Victuals"
-als sounds
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