ZAK-ur-ee
/ˈzækɚi/
Zachary is pronounced ZAK-ur-ee (/ˈzækɚi/). Zachary is a male given name of Hebrew origin, commonly used in English-speaking countries. It is a short form of Zachariah, meaning 'God has remembered.' In modern use, it functions as a proper noun for individuals and fictional characters, and may appear in religious, educational, or formal contexts with a friendly, approachable tone.
nounZachary is a male given name of Hebrew origin, commonly used in English-speaking countries. It is a short form of Zachariah, meaning 'God has remembered.' In modern use, it functions as a proper noun for individuals and fictional characters, and may appear in religious, educational, or formal contexts with a friendly, approachable tone.
How to Pronounce Zachary
"Zachary introduced himself at the conference and offered to help with the project."
"The character Zachary in the novel brings a quiet wisdom to the group."
"We met Zachary in the lobby after the lecture, and he shared his travel stories."
ZACH-uh-ree with the primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU: /ˈzækəri/. The mouth begins with a front open /z/ and /æ/ as in 'cat,' then an unstressed /ə/ (schwa) in the second syllable, followed by a light /ri/ or /əri/ at the end. Think 'ZAK-uh-ree' with a crisp initial consonant and a soft, quick second vowel before the ending 'ree'. If you need a reference, listen to the pronunciation in standard dictionaries or pronunciation videos using the IPA guide.
Common errors: (1) misplacing the stress on the second syllable (e.g., /ˈzækəri/ vs. /ˈzækrɪ/). (2) Overpronouncing the middle vowel as /æ/ or /eɪ/ instead of a short /ə/ sound. (3) Slurring the final /ri/ into /riː/ or /riə/. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable, use a quick schwa in the second syllable, and end with a light /ri/ without prolonging the vowel.
In US and AU accents, /ˈzækəri/ with rhoticity affecting the /r/ in some dialects. UK speakers may have a shorter /ə/ and slightly crisper /r/ in non-rhotic accents, leading to a subtler ending. Australian pronunciation tends to be closer to US in vowel quality but with flatter intonation. Across all, the initial /z/ and /æ/ remain prominent; the main variation lies in the quality and rhoticity of the final /r/ and the mid vowel length.
Difficulties center on the short schwa in the second syllable and the light, trailing /ri/. The transition from a stressed, open /zæ/ to a quick /kə/ into /ri/ requires precise timing to avoid turning into /zækəri/ or /zækrɪ/ mispronunciations. Another challenge is maintaining clear syllable boundary in rapid speech so listeners recognize the name without blending it into one syllable.
A unique point is the stable initial cluster /zæ/ followed by a light unstressed schwa; the ending /ri/ is often reduced to a quick /ri/ or /riə/ depending on speaker, not a full /riː/. This creates two short, crisp syllables after the first stressed syllable, giving it a distinct, memorable cadence: ZAK-uh-ree.
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Zachary derives from the Hebrew name Zacharyah, composed of zākhār (memory, remembrance) and yāh (referring to Yahweh, the Tetragrammaton). In the Hebrew Bible, Zacharyah appears as Zachariah or Zechariah, meaning 'Yahweh has remembered' or 'the Lord has remembered.' The name entered Latin as Zacharias and Greek as Zacharias, later anglicized to Zachary, Zacharie, or Zachariah in English. The shift from longer forms to the clipped Zachary occurred in early modern English through popular usage and diminutive forms like Zack or Zackary, reinforcing the sense of familiarity in everyday speech. First known English uses appear in religious texts and letters from the 16th century onward, with modern usage expanding to secular contexts as a straightforward, personable given name.
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Words that rhyme with "Zachary"
-tch sounds
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