How to pronounce abbreviate
Say it like uh-BREE-vee-ayt. Abbreviate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BREE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce abbreviate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- BREE
- vee
- ayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Abbreviate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- BREESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- veeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- aytKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of abbreviate
American and British speakers say abbreviate in essentially the same way: /əˈbrivieɪt/ in the US and /əˈbriːvɪˌeɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-BREE-vih-ayt.
What does abbreviate mean?
- To make shorter; to shorten (in time); to abridge; to shorten by ending sooner than planned.
- To reduce a word or phrase by means of contraction or omission to a shorter recognizable form.“Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is more commonly known by its abbreviated form BSE.”
- To reduce to lower terms, as a fraction.
- Having one part relatively shorter than another or than the ordinary type.
Where does abbreviate come from?
From Middle English abbreviaten, from abbreviat(e) (“abbreviated”, used as the participle of abbreviaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin abbreviātus, perfect passive participle of abbreviō (“to shorten”) (see -ate (verb-fo
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with abbreviate
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of abbreviate.
Questions about saying abbreviate
How do you pronounce abbreviate?
Say uh-BREE-vee-ayt. The American pronunciation is /əˈbrivieɪt/. In British English it is /əˈbriːvɪˌeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in abbreviate?
Abbreviate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BREE). Broken into parts: uh · BREE · vee · ayt.
Do Americans and Brits say abbreviate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈbrivieɪt/ and the British form is /əˈbriːvɪˌeɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.