How to pronounce ancient
Say it like AYN-chunt. Ancient has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AYN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ancient. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AYN
- chunt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ancient pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AYNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- chuntKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of ancient
American and British speakers say ancient in essentially the same way: /ˈeɪntʃənt/ in the US and /ˈeɪnʃənt/ in the UK.
British respelling: AYN-shunt.
What does ancient mean?
- belonging to times long past especially of the historical period before the fall of the Western Roman Empire“ancient history”“ancient civilizations such as those of the Etruscans and Sumerians”
- very old“an ancient mariner”
- a very old person
- a person who lived in ancient times
Where does ancient come from?
From Middle English auncyen, from Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin *anteānus, composed of Latin ante (“before”) + -ānus (adjective-forming suffix).
Questions about saying ancient
How do you pronounce ancient?
Say AYN-chunt. The American pronunciation is /ˈeɪntʃənt/. In British English it is /ˈeɪnʃənt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ancient?
Ancient has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AYN). Broken into parts: AYN · chunt.
Do Americans and Brits say ancient the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈeɪntʃənt/ and the British form is /ˈeɪnʃənt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.