VOY-uh-jur
/ˈvɔɪədʒɚ/
Voyager is pronounced VOY-uh-jur (/ˈvɔɪədʒɚ/). Voyager (noun) refers to a person who travels, especially a long-distance traveler, or more broadly to someone exploring new places or ideas. It also denotes space probes like NASA’s Voyager program. The term emphasizes movement and discovery, often carrying a sense of curiosity, risk, and adventure. In usage, it can describe someone who journeys physically or intellectually beyond familiar boundaries.
nounVoyager (noun) refers to a person who travels, especially a long-distance traveler, or more broadly to someone exploring new places or ideas. It also denotes space probes like NASA’s Voyager program. The term emphasizes movement and discovery, often carrying a sense of curiosity, risk, and adventure. In usage, it can describe someone who journeys physically or intellectually beyond familiar boundaries.
"The intrepid voyager crossed the desert at dawn."
"A seasoned voyager, she collected stories from every port."
"The documentary follows the voyager as she maps unfamiliar landscapes."
Pronounce it VOY-uh-jer, with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈvɔɪ.ə.dʒɚ/ in US, /ˈvɒɪ.ə.dʒə/ in UK. Start with the /v/ sound, then a long diphthong /ɔɪ/ as in 'boy,' add a schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, and end with /dʒ/ (as in 'judge') plus a weak /ɚ/ or /ə/ depending on accent. Aim for a smooth transition from /ɔɪ/ to /ə/ and a lightly devoiced final consonant.
Two frequent errors: (1) Understressing the first syllable, making VOY-ger sound like VOY-ehr; ensure clear primary stress on VOY. (2) Slurring the /dʒ/ into the preceding vowel, producing /vɔɪa-d͡ʒə/ instead of /vɔɪ.ə.dʒɚ/. Practice by isolating the /dʒ/ with a brief pause or by saying ‘boy-uh-jur’ slowly, then speed up. Use minimal pairs and repeat until you can place the /dʒ/ crisply.
In US, you hear /ˈvɔɪ.ə.dʒɚ/ with rhotic /ɚ/ at the end and a clear /ɔɪ/ diphthong. UK often renders final as /-ə/ (non-rhotic vowels may sound 'uh'), giving /ˈvɒɪ.ə.dʒə/ and less rhoticity. Australian English aligns closely with UK but may have a slightly broader /ɒ/ and more relaxed ending, still preserving /dʒ/. Focus on rhoticity and vowel height: US adds a rhotic ending; UK/AU typically reduce the final vowel and may sound less rhotic.
Because of the diphthong /ɔɪ/ and the /dʒ/ combination in -ger, which can blur together if you’re not mindful of the transition: /ɔɪ/ followed by a voiced postalveolar affricate /dʒ/ and a rhotacized ending in US. Also, many learners misplace the primary stress or merge /ə/ and /ɚ/ in the second syllable. Practice segmenting VOY- a- ger, reinforcing the /ɪ/ or /ə/ in the middle, and finish with a crisp /dʒ/.
The bridge between the stress on VOY and the -ager suffix creates a pacing challenge: VOY-uh-ger. The middle vowel should be a neutral schwa (/ə/ or /ɚ/ depending on accent), not a full vowel like /æ/ or /ɜː/. You’ll hear the /ɔɪ/ diphthong clearly in VOY, then a quick, soft /ə/ before the /dʒ/ cluster. Maintaining the chain from /ɔɪ/ to /ə/ without adding extra syllables is key.
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Voyager comes from the noun voyage, which derives from the Old French word voyage, from Late Latin viaticum, from Latin via ‘way, road’ and agere ‘to lead, to drive’. The modern English voyage (verb/noun) appeared in the 14th century, meaning a journey or travel, especially by sea. Voyager as ‘one who travels’ emerged later in English, with -er suffix indicating a person associated with an action. The notion of deliberate, exploratory travel—often long or adventurous—gained popular cultural traction in the 19th and 20th centuries, reinforced by space exploration programs labeled Voyager. The term is now used for both physical travelers and figurative explorers of ideas, technology, and space.
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Words that rhyme with "Voyager"
-ner sounds
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