RAP-urz
/ˈɹæpɚz/
wrappers is pronounced RAP-urz (/ˈɹæpɚz/). Wrappers are items that encase or cover something, or people who wrap objects, especially as a profession or in the sense of disguising or presenting something. The word combines the verb wrap with the -ers agent suffix, indicating the doer of the action. In commerce and packaging, “wrappers” refers to materials used to enclose products, often thin papers or foils. The plural emphasizes multiple instances or types.
Wrappers are items that encase or cover something, or people who wrap objects, especially as a profession or in the sense of disguising or presenting something. The word combines the verb wrap with the -ers agent suffix, indicating the doer of the action. In commerce and packaging, “wrappers” refers to materials used to enclose products, often thin papers or foils. The plural emphasizes multiple instances or types.
"She handed me the gift with shiny wrappers."
"The factory ships hundreds of food wrappers every day."
"Some wrappers are recycled after use to reduce waste."
Pronounce as /ˈræ.pɚz/ in US English, with primary stress on the first syllable. The second syllable uses a schwa /ə/ vowel in many American varieties, followed by a voiced /z/ in the final consonant. In UK English you’ll often hear /ˈræ.pəz/ with a shorter second syllable; Australian speech is similar to UK/US but may show mild vowel diphthong shifts. Tip: keep the lips relaxed for the /ɚ/ (rhotacized schwa) in US, and avoid voicing the final z too hard.
Common errors: misplacing stress (saying /ˈræpərz/ with first syllable weak), pronouncing /ɑ/ or /æ/ in the second syllable, and pronouncing final /z/ as /s/. Correction: ensure primary stress on the first syllable /ˈræ/ and use a clear /ɚ/ or /ə/ before the /z/; keep the final sound voiced as /z/, not voiceless /s/.
US: /ˈræ.pɚz/ with rhotic /ɚ/; UK: /ˈræ.pəz/ or /ˈræ.pəz/, possibly non-rhotic in some accents so the /r/ is less pronounced; AU: typically /ˈræ.pəz/ or /ˈræ.pəz/, with a flatter vowel in the second syllable. The main differences are rhotacization and the realization of the second syllable vowel: rhotacized in US, more centralized in UK/AU.
Two main challenges: the /ɚ/ rhotic schwa in the US form, which blends a vowel with /r/ coloring, and the final /z/ voiced consonant that can be mispronounced as /s/ in rapid speech. Also, the cluster /pr/ in the first syllable demands precise articulation to avoid blending with /æ/; keep the first syllable crisp and the /z/ voiced to differentiate from 'wrapers' (which would be incorrect).
The transition from the plosive /p/ to the /ɚ/ color in the second syllable is a distinguishing feature: you’re moving from a strong /p/ release into a resonant vowel that carries r-coloring. Practicing with minimal pairs like wrap/raper helps isolate this shift; also focus on maintaining stress on the first syllable while ensuring the second syllable remains unstressed but clearly voiced.
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Wrappers derives from wrap, an Old English word (wæppian) meaning to cover or envelop, with the Germanic root related to weaving and binding. The suffix -ers forms agent nouns in English, denoting a person or thing that performs the action (wrapping). The usage expanded in the 17th–18th centuries as packaging and textile industries grew, distinguishing people who wrap items (the craft of wrapping) from the material itself. In modern times, wrappers also appears as a plural noun for packaging materials (foil, paper) and for individuals who perform the act of wrapping (e.g., confectionery wrappers or gift wrappers). First known uses appear in manuscripts and commerce records of the early modern period, with the sense consolidating through industrial packaging, marketing, and retail language. Over time, the term expanded to include metaphorical wrappers (costumes, cover stories) in informal speech, though the physical sense remains dominant in everyday packaging contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "wrappers" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "wrappers"
-ers sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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