How to pronounce "puissance" in English
ˈpjuːɪ.s(ə)ns
PYOO·ih·sns
Primary stress: PYOO
Hear native speakers say puissance in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “puissance”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
PYOO
Tense long vowel with sustained acoustic resonance.
ih
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
sns
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
Primary emphasis falls on the first syllable ("PYOO"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels.
How Native Speakers Say It: Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When followed by a vowel, insert a subtle glide (/w/ or /j/) to connect into the subsequent word without an abrupt glottal stop.
Maintain the stress-timed rhythm of English: compress unstressed syllables rapidly so the beat of "puissance" aligns naturally with adjacent words.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“"Our puissance is our own, our own right hand / shall teach us highest deeds…" In claiming to make a show of”— YaleCoursesWatch clip
“Some people think that it comes from some form of the word power, whether it's puissance in French, or maybe Latin, pondus.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
Practice Speaking “puissance”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
"Our puissance is our own, our own right hand / shall teach us highest deeds…" In claiming to make a show of
Hear it in context: “puissance”
2 clipsThe English word “puissance” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as ˈpjuːɪ.s(ə)ns (phonetic respelling: PYOO-ih-sns). Phonologically, it consists of 3 syllables (PYOO · ih · sns), with primary lexical stress placed on the 1st (initial) syllable (PYOO). Grammatically, “puissance” functions as a noun. SayItVid indexes 2 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “puissance” in natural connected speech across American (US: 2 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from YaleCourses.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (2 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USYaleCoursesClip #1 · @16:12
“power…" Satan had said to Abdiel: "Our puissance is our own, our own right hand / shall teach us highest deeds…" In claiming to make a show of teach us highest deeds…" In claiming to make a show of”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #2 · @0:56
“a guy with the absolutely amazing name, Søren Sørensen, never explained his reasoning. Some people think that it comes from some form of the word power, whether it's puissance in French, or maybe Latin, pondus. whether it's puissance in French, or maybe Latin, pondus.”
Definition & Meaning: “puissance”
- power, might or potency
- The high-jump component of the sport of show jumping.
Example Sentences (3)
- “The Sarazin ſore daunted with the buffe / Snatcheth his ſword, and fiercely to him flies; / Who well it wards, and quyteth cuff with cuff: / Each others equall puiſſaunce enuies, / And through their iron ſides with cruelties / Does ſeeke to perce: repining courage yields / No foote to foe.”
- “It was in Dublin that San Lucas scored his first success in what has become something of a speciality for him, the puissance.”
- “"Our puissance is our own, our own right hand / shall teach us highest deeds…" In claiming to make a show of”
Pronounce: “puissance”
- Pronunciation:
- PYOO-ih-sns
- Syllables:
- PYOO · ih · sns
- Written Hyphenation:
- pu · is · sance
- Primary stress:
- PYOO
- IPA:
- ˈpjuːɪ.s(ə)ns
- Hear it in context
- puissance
Words that Rhyme with “puissance”
-uɪs(ə)nsWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"puissance" (⁄ˈpjuːɪ.s(ə)ns⁄) has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "puissance" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about puissance
How do you pronounce “puissance”?
“puissance” is pronounced ⁄ˈpjuːɪ.s(ə)ns⁄ (PYOO-ih-sns). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
How many syllables are in “puissance”?
“puissance” has 3 syllables: PYOO · ih · sns.
Where is the stress in “puissance”?
The primary stress in “puissance” is on “PYOO”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “puissance” mean?
power, might or potency
How can I hear “puissance” used in real sentences?
This page has 2 real-world video examples of “puissance” with synchronized subtitles. Use Previous / Next (or ← / → keys) to hear each one at the exact moment it is spoken.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “puissance”?
Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels. Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).