2 syllables: Whop, per. Stress on Whop.
WAH-pur
/ˈwɑpɚ/
Whopper is pronounced WAH-pur (/ˈwɑpɚ/). It has two syllables (Whop-per), with the stress on "Whop". Whopper (noun) refers to something notably large or impressive, often used for a tall tale, a big lie, or a large food item (most famously a burger). It can also denote something outstanding in size or magnitude, sometimes with a jocular or sensational nuance. In casual speech, it carries an informal, humorous tone.
nounWhopper (noun) refers to something notably large or impressive, often used for a tall tale, a big lie, or a large food item (most famously a burger). It can also denote something outstanding in size or magnitude, sometimes with a jocular or sensational nuance. In casual speech, it carries an informal, humorous tone.
"The new burger at the city joint is a real whopper, stacked with two patties and extra toppings."
"He told a whopper about catching a fish that was six feet long."
"That project was a whopper of a challenge, but we finished it on time."
Whopper is pronounced WHOP-er, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU: ˈwɒpər. Start with a rounded, open back of the tongue for the /ɒ/ as in 'lot', then a light schwa or reduced vowel in the second syllable. You’ll hear a strong onset /w/, followed by /ɒ/ then /p/ and a relaxed /ər/ or /ər/ in unstressed environments. Listen to native samples and mimic the crisp onset followed by the short, clipped second syllable. Audio reference: you can compare with standard pronunciations on Cambridge/Oxford or Forvo.
Common errors: misplacing the /ɒ/ as a more fronted vowel (like /ɑ/ or /ɔ/); pronouncing the second syllable with full vowel length instead of a reduced /ər/; delaying the /p/ with an elongated vowel. Corrections: keep the /ɒ/ as a back, rounded vowel; deliver /p/ immediately after /ɒ/ without inserting a vowel; reduce the second syllable to /ər/ or a schwa+r blend in fast speech, ensuring the first syllable remains strong. Practice short, clipped second syllable without pushing air.
In US English, /ˈwɒpər/ with rhotic /r/ in the second syllable, but often hyphenated in careful speech. UK English tends toward /ˈwɒpə/ with a non-rhotic /r/ and a shorter, schwa-like second syllable. Australian English usually aligns with non-rhotic tendencies too, often /ˈwɒpə/ or /ˈwɔpə/, depending on speaker origin, with reduced, quick second syllable. The main differences are rhoticity and the quality of the /ɒ/ vowel and the final /ər/ vs /ə/.
The challenge lies in the short, clipped first syllable /ˈwɒp/ and the subsequent reduced /ər/ in fast speech. English speakers often reduce the second syllable, which can blur the /r/ color in rhotic accents or omit it entirely in non-rhotic ones. Also, the close-frontness of the /ɒ/ to the back-rounded position, plus the need for a quick, clean /p/ release, makes the transition compact and easy to slur in casual talk.
A common query is whether the initial /w/ in Whopper should be slightly lip-rounded or more neutral before the /ɒ/ vowel. Practically, you start with a light lip rounding for the /w/ and then quickly flatten into an open back /ɒ/ for the vowel, avoiding a bilabial w+ɒ cluster. This subtle lip action helps maintain the crisp onset while achieving the correct back-vowel quality.
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Whopper derives from the verb whop, meaning to strike or hit with a heavy blow, or to defeat decisively. The noun form whopper emerged in American slang in the early 20th century as something big or outstanding, often with a playful or boastful connotation. Early uses framed “a whopper” as a big lie or tall tale, aligning with the sense of something notably exaggerated. The word’s popularity surged in popular culture and advertising, where hyperbolic claims thrive. The first known print attestations appear in American English around the 1920s–1930s, with similar usage in sporting commentary and snack-food advertising. Over time, whopper broadened to describe not only physical size but also large-scale events, feats, or products, retaining a light, humorous edge. In modern slang, it signals not just size but sensational impact, often paired with adjectives like “real,” “huge,” or “massive.” The word’s phonology remains stable with its first syllable stressed: WHOP-per, leveraging the common English pattern where a strong initial sound anchors the word. The concept of a “whopper” thus evolved from a verb meaning to strike or beat, to a noun signifying something remarkable in magnitude, frequently used in informal, conversational English.
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Words that rhyme with "Whopper"
-per sounds
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