How to pronounce “theory”
Say “theory” in 2 beats
theory
/ˈθɪɹi/
The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /θiəɹi/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.
- theorθɪstress
- yɹi
- IPA (American)
- /ˈθɪɹi/
- IPA (British)
- /θiəɹi/
- Also accepted
- /ˈθiɚi/
- Respelling
- THI-ree
- Syllables
- 2 — THEOR-y
- Stress
- Stress the first syllable: THEOR-y. “theor” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls 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
/ˈθɪɹi/
/θiəɹi/
No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.
What “theory” means
- noun
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
“theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses”
- noun
a tentative insight into the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena
“a scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory”
- noun
a belief that can guide behavior
“the architect has a theory that more is less”
Say it in a sentence
“The theory is elegant but very hard to test.”The sounds inside this word
Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.
“theory”, answered
How do you pronounce “theory”?
“theory” is pronounced /ˈθɪɹi/ (THI-ree) in American English and /θiəɹi/ in British English, and /ˈθiɚi/ is also accepted — 2 syllables, stressed on “theor”. Build it as THEOR-y, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.
How many syllables does “theory” have?
2: theor · y. The beat lands on the first, “theor”.
Is “theory” said differently in British English?
Yes. American English says /ˈθɪɹi/ (THI-ree); British English says /θiəɹi/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.
What does “theory” mean?
As a noun: a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena For example: “theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.
Where is the stress in “theory”?
Stress the first syllable: THEOR-y. “theor” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
Now say “theory” 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.