How to pronounce antediluvian
Say it like an-tee-duh-LOO-vee-un. Antediluvian has six syllables, and the main stress falls on the fourth one (LOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce antediluvian. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- an
- tee
- duh
- LOO
- vee
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Antediluvian pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- anGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- teeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- duhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- LOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- veeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of antediluvian
American and British speakers say antediluvian in essentially the same way: /ˌæntidəˈluviən/ in the US and /ˌæntɪdɪˈluːvɪən/ in the UK.
British respelling: an-tih-dih-LOO-vih-un.
What does antediluvian mean?
- Belonging or pertaining to, or existing in, the time prior to the great flood described in Genesis, or (by extension) to a great or destructive flood or deluge described in other mythologies.
- Of animals and plants: long extinct; prehistoric.
- Of a person or thing: very old; ancient.
- A person who lived in the time prior to the great flood described in Genesis, especially one of the biblical patriarchs.
- A very old person.
- A person with extremely old-fashioned attitudes, ideas, etc., especially to a laughable extent; a fogey or old fogey.
Where does antediluvian come from?
Adjective sense 2 (“long extinct”) is from the fact that such animals and plants were originally believed to have perished in the biblical flood referred to above.
Questions about saying antediluvian
How do you pronounce antediluvian?
Say an-tee-duh-LOO-vee-un. The American pronunciation is /ˌæntidəˈluviən/. In British English it is /ˌæntɪdɪˈluːvɪən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in antediluvian?
Antediluvian has six syllables, and the main stress falls on the fourth one (LOO). Broken into parts: an · tee · duh · LOO · vee · un.
Do Americans and Brits say antediluvian the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌæntidəˈluviən/ and the British form is /ˌæntɪdɪˈluːvɪən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.