How to pronounce “definition”
Say “definition” in 4 beats
definition
/ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən/
The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /dɛfɪnɪʃən/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.
- defdɛ
- infə
- itnɪstress
- ionʃən
- IPA (American)
- /ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən/
- IPA (British)
- /dɛfɪnɪʃən/
- Respelling
- de-fuh-NI-shuhn
- Syllables
- 4 — def-in-IT-ion
- Stress
- Stress the third syllable: def-in-IT-ion. “it” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.
- Part of speech
- noun
- Difficulty
- Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
American and British are not the same here
/ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən/
/dɛfɪnɪʃən/
No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.
What “definition” means
- noun
a concise explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase or symbol
- noun
clarity of outline
“exercise had given his muscles superior definition”
Say it in a sentence
“The definition in the older dictionary is far more useful.”“definition”, answered
How do you pronounce “definition”?
“definition” is pronounced /ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən/ (de-fuh-NI-shuhn) in American English and /dɛfɪnɪʃən/ in British English — 4 syllables, stressed on “it”. Build it as def-in-IT-ion, then run the third syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.
How many syllables does “definition” have?
4: def · in · it · ion. The beat lands on the third, “it”.
Is “definition” said differently in British English?
Yes. American English says /ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən/ (de-fuh-NI-shuhn); British English says /dɛfɪnɪʃən/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.
What does “definition” mean?
As a noun: a concise explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase or symbol For example: “The definition in the older dictionary is far more useful.” It carries 1 other sense as well — all of them said the same way.
Where is the stress in “definition”?
Stress the third syllable: def-in-IT-ion. “it” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.
Now say “definition” and see every sound
Record it once and sayit lines your audio up against the target sound by sound — what landed, what slipped, and what it sounded like instead.