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speech synthesis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

B2/C1 (Intermediate to Advanced)
UK/ˈspiːtʃ ˌsɪnθəsɪs/US/ˈspitʃ ˌsɪnθəsɪs/

Technical, academic, professional. Neutral formal tone. Common in computing, linguistics, assistive technology, and media contexts.

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “speech synthesis” mean?

The artificial production of human speech by a computer or other device.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

The artificial production of human speech by a computer or other device.

A technology that converts text into audible, spoken language using digital models and algorithms; also refers to the resulting speech output itself.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant lexical differences. Concept and term are identical. Spelling of related words (e.g., synthesise/synthesize) follows regional patterns.

Connotations

Identical technical connotations.

Frequency

Equally common in both technical registers.

Grammar

How to Use “speech synthesis” in a Sentence

[system/software/device] uses speech synthesis to [verb]The speech synthesis [verbs] [object]Speech synthesis of [text/language]Synthesis of speech from [source]

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
text-to-speech synthesisreal-time speech synthesisconcatenative speech synthesisneural speech synthesisspeech synthesis systemspeech synthesis softwarespeech synthesis enginespeech synthesis technology
medium
improve speech synthesisgenerate speech synthesisuse speech synthesisbased on speech synthesisquality of speech synthesisapplications of speech synthesis
weak
advanced speech synthesisdigital speech synthesisclear speech synthesisresearch into speech synthesis

Examples

Examples of “speech synthesis” in a Sentence

verb

British English

  • The software can synthesise speech in real time.
  • Researchers are synthesising more natural prosody.

American English

  • The software can synthesize speech in real time.
  • The system synthesizes audio from the text input.

adverb

British English

  • The text was read out synthesisedly by the computer.
  • The reply was generated entirely synthetically.

American English

  • The voice responded synthetically.
  • The announcement played back automatically via synthesis.

adjective

British English

  • The speech synthesis module is highly configurable.
  • We observed a synthesis-related artefact in the audio.

American English

  • The speech synthesis module is highly configurable.
  • We are testing a new synthesis-based navigation system.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Used in presentations about assistive tech, customer service automation (IVR systems), or product features for accessibility.

Academic

Common in papers on computational linguistics, signal processing, human-computer interaction, and phonetics.

Everyday

Might be encountered when using screen readers, GPS navigation voices, or smart assistants.

Technical

Precise term in software development, AI research, and digital signal processing for creating spoken audio from text data.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “speech synthesis”

Strong

text-to-speech (TTS)vocal synthesis

Neutral

text-to-speechTTSvoice synthesisartificial speech generation

Weak

computer-generated speechsynthetic voicemachine speech

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “speech synthesis”

speech recognitionnatural human speechvoice recording

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “speech synthesis”

  • Using 'speech synthesis' as a verb (e.g., 'to speech synthesis'). Correct: 'to synthesise speech' or 'to use speech synthesis'. Confusing it with 'voice synthesis' (which can imply cloning a specific voice vs. generic speech). Misspelling as 'speach synthesis'.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, essentially. 'Text-to-speech' is the common application name, while 'speech synthesis' is the broader technical term for the technology behind it.

Basic synthesis creates a generic artificial voice. Advanced 'voice cloning' or 'neural synthesis' can mimic specific voices, but this raises separate ethical and technical considerations.

In screen readers for the visually impaired, GPS navigation systems, virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa, automated customer service phone lines, and some audiobooks or news readers.

Speech synthesis creates speech from text (computer speaking). Speech recognition converts speech into text (computer understanding). They are essentially opposite processes.

The artificial production of human speech by a computer or other device.

Speech synthesis is usually technical, academic, professional. neutral formal tone. common in computing, linguistics, assistive technology, and media contexts. in register.

Speech synthesis: in British English it is pronounced /ˈspiːtʃ ˌsɪnθəsɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈspitʃ ˌsɪnθəsɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “None specific to this technical term.”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think SYNTHESIS as SYNTHetic voice creation from SPECCH text.

Conceptual Metaphor

SPEECH IS A MANUFACTURED PRODUCT (synthesised, generated, produced, output).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
Many e-learning platforms integrate to narrate course materials for auditory learners.
Multiple Choice

What is the primary function of speech synthesis?