Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

ergonomics

/ˌɝ.ɡəˈnɑ.mɪks/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.74 in modern English

Syllables
er-go-no-mics
IPA
/ˌɝ.ɡəˈnɑ.mɪks/
15
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
4
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The science of the design of equipment, especially so as to reduce operator fatigue, discomfort and injury.

Uncountable

noun

Political economy.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From ergo- (prefix indicating work) + -nomics (suffix indicating the rules of a discipline), probably modelled after Polish ergonomia (“ergonomics”) (used by Polish scientist Wojciech Jastrzębowski (1799–1882) in an 1857 article), from Ancient Greek ἔργον (érgon, “work”) + νόμος (nómos, “custom; law, ordinance”). The English word is widely regarded as having been introduced by British psychologist K. F. Hywel Murrell at a meeting at the Admiralty in London in July 1949, which led to the establishment of the Ergonomics Research Society (now The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors) on 17 September 1949.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌɝ.ɡəˈnɑ.mɪks/
  • British English: /ɜː.ɡəˈnɒm.ɪks/

Usage

Derived Forms

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce ergonomics?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌɝ.ɡəˈnɑ.mɪks/.
What does ergonomics mean?
The science of the design of equipment, especially so as to reduce operator fatigue, discomfort and injury.
Where does ergonomics come from?
It is traced to Polish.

How to pronounce ergonomics

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