PRO-duce and pro-DUCE Are the Same Word Twice
To produce is to make or bring forth. The noun, stressed on the first syllable, means fresh farm goods.
To produce is to make, grow or bring something forward. Shift the stress and the meaning shifts with it: PRO-duce as a noun means agricultural goods, especially fruit and vegetables. English has dozens of these noun-verb pairs, and this one is among the most useful to hear correctly.
- To make or manufacture. *The factory produces engines.*
- To bring forward or show. *Produce your ticket.*
- Farm goods (noun). *Fresh produce.*
- To oversee a film or record. *She produced the album.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | produce | Produce evidence. |
| Noun | produce | Local produce. |
| Noun | product | A finished product. |
| Person | producer | A film producer. |
| Noun | production | In production. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The region produces most of the country's apples.Verb, stressed on the second syllable.
- The produce aisle is at the front.Noun, stressed on the first.
- He was asked to produce identification.Bring forward and show.
Stress-shifting pairs
- PRO-duce / pro-DUCE
- RE-cord / re-CORD
- PRE-sent / pre-SENT
- CON-tract / con-TRACT
- IN-crease / in-CREASE
From Latin *producere*, to lead forward, from *pro* and *ducere*, to lead — the same verb as in *conduct*, *educate* and *duke*.
Why do the noun and verb have different stress?
It is a pattern English developed for borrowed Latin words: nouns take stress on the first syllable, verbs on the second.
What does a producer actually do?
In film, the producer arranges the money, the people and the schedule. In music, the producer shapes the sound of the recording.