WED-ing
/ˈwɛdɪŋ/
wedding is pronounced WED-ing (/ˈwɛdɪŋ/). Wedding is a two-syllable noun referring to a formal ceremony where two people unite in marriage, often followed by a reception. The word denotes a specific social event and can function as a location or event descriptor (e.g., wedding cake, wedding vows). It carries celebratory connotations and is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts.
Wedding is a two-syllable noun referring to a formal ceremony where two people unite in marriage, often followed by a reception. The word denotes a specific social event and can function as a location or event descriptor (e.g., wedding cake, wedding vows). It carries celebratory connotations and is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts.
"We’re invited to a seaside wedding next month."
"Her sister’s wedding is on Saturday, and she’s already busy with preparations."
"They decided to renew their vows at their 25th wedding anniversary."
Pronounce it as /ˈwɛd.ɪŋ/ in US and UK, with primary stress on the first syllable. Start with a rounded /w/ lip position, then the /ɛ/ (like “bed”), followed by a light /d/ with the tongue touching the alveolar ridge, and end with a short, unstressed /ɪ/ transitioning quickly into /ŋ/ as in “sing.” In careful speech, the ending is a crisp /ŋ/ rather than a nasalized vowel. Audio reference: try repeating after a native speaker in Pronounce or YouGlish to hear the two-syllable flow and the final velar nasal.
Two frequent errors: (1) Reducing the first syllable too much and turning /ˈwɛd/ into a weak /wɪ/ or /wɛ/; maintain a clear /ɛ/ as in ‘bed’. (2) Slurring the final /ŋ/ into an /n/ or dropping the nasal entirely. Aim for a crisp /ŋ/ with the tip of the tongue contacting the alveolar ridge briefly, then releasing into the nasal sound. Practice with minimal pairs like wed/wet or bed/ben to feel the difference, and use a light breath before /ŋ/ to keep it crisp.
In US English, /ˈwɛd.ɪŋ/ with a rhotic r not involved; the first vowel is a mid-front lax /ɛ/. In UK English, many speakers maintain a similar /ˈwed.ɪŋ/ but may slightly shorten the second syllable and keep a crisper /d/. In Australian English, you’ll hear a similar two-syllable pattern with a potentially more centralized /ɪ/ and a softer /d/; vowel quality may drift toward a more centralized vowel in connected speech. Across all, the final /ŋ/ remains a velar nasal; the main variation lies in vowel quality and syllable length.
The challenge lies in balancing the cluster /d/ at the syllable boundary and the final velar nasal /ŋ/ after a short vowel. The first syllable requires a precise /ɛ/ vowel quality and a crisp /d/, followed by a quick transition to /ɪ/ and the nasal /ŋ/. Some speakers glaze over the /ɪ/ and merge with the /ŋ/. It helps to practice light, controlled mouth movements for the glide into /ŋ/ and to maintain the syllable boundary clearly.
A unique aspect is the transition from a stressed open-mid vowel /ɛ/ to a short lax /ɪ/ before the velar nasal /ŋ/. The combination of a strong initial stress and a quick, clean velar nasal ending creates the characteristic crisp two-syllable rhythm. Paying attention to the dental/alveolar placement for /d/ and ensuring the tongue briefly contacts the alveolar ridge before gliding into /ŋ/ makes the word sound natural and precise.
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Wedding originates from Old English word wedian, related to wed, meaning to pledge or pledge of marriage. In Middle English, wedden referred to the act of solemnizing a marriage. The noun form wedding came to denote the ceremonial occasion as a compound of wed and ding (from ding meaning act or state in Old English). Its earliest uses appear in Anglo-Norman and Middle English texts around the 12th to 13th centuries, reflecting the formal social ritual rather than the couple’s union alone. Over centuries, the term broadened to include associated aspects of the event—ceremony, reception, and the social episode of celebrating partnerships. By the 18th and 19th centuries, wedding had become firmly established as the standard term in English, paralleling the modernization of matrimonial customs and the rise of standardized wedding practices in Western cultures. The word carries ceremonial weight and social significance that extends beyond the legal act of marriage, encapsulating traditions, family, and communal rites around two people committing to join their lives together.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "wedding" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "wedding"
-ing sounds
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