How to pronounce

ensuring

The word "ensuring" can be dissected for pronunciation with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcriptions for both British and American English as follows:

American Pronunciation: /ɛnˈʃʊrɪŋ/
- Begins with the /ɛn/ sound, where the mouth is slightly open, and the tongue is near the front of the mouth but not touching the roof.
- Followed by the /ˈʃʊr/ part, with the /ʃ/ sound similar to the 'sh' in "shoe". The /ʊr/ is pronounced with a rounded, pushed-forward lip position and a voiced quality.
- Ends with the /ɪŋ/ sound, a combination of a short, relaxed 'i' as in 'sit', and the 'ng' sound made by pressing the back of your tongue against the soft palate.
British Pronunciation: /ɪnˈʃʊərɪŋ/
- The beginning /ɪn/ sound is more closed than in the American version, with the tongue closer to the roof of the mouth.
- The /ˈʃʊər/ part is similar, with the /ʃ/ sound for 'sh' and a slightly longer /ʊər/ sound, lacking the 'r' sound pronounced at the end.
- Concludes with the /ɪŋ/ sound, identical to the American pronunciation.

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Definition of

ensuring

Ensuring (verb): The act of making certain, guaranteeing, or securing that something will occur or be the case.

What does it mean

ensuring

"Ensuring" is derived from the Old French "enseurer," which means "to assure, make sure, secure, or make safe." This Old French term itself comes from the Latin "insēcūrus," meaning "not safe or secure," with the prefix "en-" (in Latin "in-") added to signify "make" or "put into" and the root "sēcūrus," meaning "safe." Over time, "ensure" evolved in Middle English to its current spelling and usage, indicating the process of making an outcome certain. The "ing" suffix indicates the present participle form, used to describe an ongoing action or state.