VOW-churz
/ˈvaʊtʃɚz/
vouchers is pronounced VOW-churz (/ˈvaʊtʃɚz/). Vouchers are documents or codes that entitle the holder to goods or services. They can be physical or digital and are commonly used as coupons, gift certificates, or reimbursement tokens. In everyday usage, vouchers often imply a value or discount and may be redeemed at a specific retailer or program. The term can also describe a set of written credentials validating entitlement.
Vouchers are documents or codes that entitle the holder to goods or services. They can be physical or digital and are commonly used as coupons, gift certificates, or reimbursement tokens. In everyday usage, vouchers often imply a value or discount and may be redeemed at a specific retailer or program. The term can also describe a set of written credentials validating entitlement.
"I bought several vouchers for my sister's birthday and saved a lot on her gifts."
"The travel agency sent me e-vouchers that I could redeem online."
"She used two vouchers to cover part of the meal."
Pronounce as /ˈvaʊtʃərz/ in US and AU, and /ˈvaʊtʃəz/ in UK in many speakers. The first syllable has the diphthong /aʊ/ as in loud, then a /tʃ/ sound like chair, followed by a schwa or reduced /ə/ in the second syllable, and ends with /z/ or /z/. Stress is on the first syllable: VAU-tchers. Try to keep the /tʃ/ crisp and avoid a separate /r/ before the z in non-rhotic British speech.
Common errors: mispronouncing the middle /tʃ/ as a simple /t/ or /dʒ/, or flattening the final /z/ to a /s/ in plural. Another error is pronouncing the first syllable as /veɪ/ or /voʊ/ instead of /ˈvaʊ/. Correction: ensure the diphthong /aʊ/ is heard in the first syllable, articulate a true /tʃ/ with the palate, and end with a voiced /z/ in US/AU, often devoiced to /s/ in some UK speech after voiceless segments.
US and AU typically realize final as /-ərz/ or /-ɚz/, with rhotic rhotics often heard as /ˈvaʊtʃɚz/. UK tends toward /ˈvaʊtʃəz/ or /ˈvaʊtʃəz/ with weaker rhotics; many speakers use a schwa in the second syllable. The /tʃ/ is consistently /tʃ/ across accents. Pay attention to whether the final is voiced /z/ or devoiced /s/ influenced by surrounding sounds in faster speech.
The difficulty lies in coarticulation: the /tʃ/ blends with the following /ər/ sequence, and the final voicing of /z/ can vary by dialect. The diphthong in /aʊ/ must be precise and not reduced, and the second syllable often contracts in fast speech, risking a reduced vowel /ə/ becoming less distinct. Practicing the transition from /aʊ/ to /tʃ/ and then quickly to /z/ helps reduce slurring or mis-timing the consonants.
Remember the order: /ˈvaʊ/ + /tʃər/ or /ˈvaʊtʃəz/. The 'tʃ' is produced with a palatal stop release, the /ər/ or /əz/ depends on dialect. In careful speech, avoid inserting an extra vowel between /t/ and /tʃ/; keep the triplet tight: vau-ch-ers. Practicing with minimal pairs like 'vouchers' vs 'vouchers' (ingredient) is not helpful; instead compare with 'vouchers' vs 'voucher' (singular) to feel the extra syllable.
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Vouchers derives from the French word bon, meaning ‘good’, via the Old French voucher or vouche, tied to the practice of writing a formal warrant or guarantee. In English, voucher appeared in the 14th–15th centuries referring to a written warrant or a receipt that acknowledges a debt or entitlement. The term evolved through legal and commercial use: a voucher could certify a fact, a guarantee, or a proof of payment. The modern sense—an instrument entitling the bearer to goods or services—became common in the 19th and 20th centuries with the expansion of consumer coupons, travel credits, and corporate reimbursements. Pronunciation solidified with the -ouchers ending in /tʃərz/ or /tʃɚz/, depending on dialect. First known uses appear in administrative and financial contexts where vouchers documented disbursements, receipts, and entitlements. Over time, vouchers have shifted from formal warrants to everyday retail instruments, retaining the core sense of an entitlement granted by a written instrument.
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Words that rhyme with "vouchers"
-ers sounds
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