How to pronounce animal
Say it like AN-uh-mul. Animal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce animal. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AN
- uh
- mul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Animal pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- mulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of animal
American and British speakers say animal in essentially the same way: /ˈænəməl/ in the US and /ˈænɪməl/ in the UK.
British respelling: AN-ih-mul.
What does animal mean?
- a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
- marked by the appetites and passions of the body“animal instincts”“carnal knowledge”
Where does animal come from?
Displaced native English deer (outside puristic usage) in the general animal sense, from Middle English der, deor (“animal”), from Old English dēor, related to German Tier (“animal”), Dutch dier, Danish dyr, Swedish djur etc.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying animal
How do you pronounce animal?
Say AN-uh-mul. The American pronunciation is /ˈænəməl/. In British English it is /ˈænɪməl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in animal?
Animal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AN). Broken into parts: AN · uh · mul.
Do Americans and Brits say animal the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈænəməl/ and the British form is /ˈænɪməl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.