Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

observation

/ˌɑbzɚˈveɪʃn̩/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.13 in modern English

Syllables
ob-ser-va-tion
IPA
/ˌɑbzɚˈveɪʃn̩/
16
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
4
Syllables
10
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The act of observing, and the fact of being observed (see observance)

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The act of noting and recording some event; or the record of such noting.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A remark or comment.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A judgement based on observing.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

An evaluation conducted through observing.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Performance of what is prescribed; adherence in practice; observance.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A regime under which a subject is routinely observed.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A realization of a random variable.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English observacion, borrowed from Middle French observacion. Also a borrowing from French observation and a learned borrowing from Latin observātiō(n-). Morphologically observe + -ation.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌɑbzɚˈveɪʃn̩/
  • British English: /ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃn̩/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce observation?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌɑbzɚˈveɪʃn̩/.
What does observation mean?
The act of observing, and the fact of being observed (see observance)
Where does observation come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce observation

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “observation”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌɑbzɚˈveɪʃn̩/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “observation”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “observation” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.