How to pronounce accretion
Say it like uh-KREE-shun. Accretion has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KREE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce accretion. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- KREE
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Accretion 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.
- KREESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of accretion
American and British speakers say accretion in essentially the same way: /əˈkriʃən/ in the US and /əˈkriːʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-KREE-shun.
What does accretion mean?
- Increase by natural growth, especially the gradual increase of organic bodies by the internal addition of matter; organic growth; also, the amount of such growth.
- (Gradual) increase by an external addition of matter; (countable) an instance of this.“A mineral augments not by growth, but by accretion.”
- The process by which material is added to a geological feature; specifically, to a tectonic plate at a subduction zone.
Where does accretion come from?
Doublet of accrue, crescent, and increase.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with accretion
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of accretion.
Questions about saying accretion
How do you pronounce accretion?
Say uh-KREE-shun. The American pronunciation is /əˈkriʃən/. In British English it is /əˈkriːʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in accretion?
Accretion has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KREE). Broken into parts: uh · KREE · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say accretion the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈkriʃən/ and the British form is /əˈkriːʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.