pronounces

Pronounces is the third-person singular present tense form of the English verb pronounce. The verb has two main senses. First, to utter words or sounds in a particular way, often reflecting a speaker’s dialect or the conventions of a language. Second, to declare something formally or officially, such as a verdict, judgment, or decision. In everyday use, the sense of articulation is the most common; in legal or ceremonial contexts, the sense of declaring or announcing is frequent.

The verb derives from Latin pronuntiare, through Old French prononcer, and ultimately from pro- “forward” + nuntiare “to announce.” Related forms include pronunciation (the act or result of pronouncing) and pronouncer (one who pronounces). The noun pronunciation is commonly confused with pronounce because of their shared root, but pronunciation refers to how a word is spoken, while pronounce is the action itself.

In practice, pronounces agrees with a singular subject (he pronounces, it pronounces). The word is typically followed by a direct object in the sense of speech (pronounces the word) or by a noun phrase in the sense of declaration (pronounces the verdict). Phonetically, pronunciation is often represented in IPA as /prəˈnaʊns/ for pronounce, and /prəˈnaʊnz/ for pronounces, with dialectal variations across English varieties. Examples include: “She pronounces his name as ‘Joaquin’,” and “The judge pronounces sentence today.” See also pronunciation.