How to pronounce appropriate
Say it like uh-PROH-pree-ut. Appropriate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PROH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce appropriate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- PROH
- pree
- ut
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Appropriate 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.
- PROHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- preeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- utKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of appropriate
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: uh-PROH-prih-ayt.
What does appropriate mean?
- give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause“I will earmark this money for your research”“She sets aside time for meditation every day”
- take possession of by force, as after an invasion“the invaders seized the land and property of the inhabitants”“The army seized the town”
- suitable for a particular person or place or condition etc“a book not appropriate for children”“a funeral conducted the appropriate solemnity”
Where does appropriate come from?
From Middle English appropriaten, from appropriat (“appropriated”) + -en, borrowed from Latin appropriātus, perfect passive participle of appropriō (“to make one's own”), from ad (“to”) + propriō (“to make one's own”), from proprius (“one's
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying appropriate
How do you pronounce appropriate?
Say uh-PROH-pree-ut. The American pronunciation is /əˈproʊpriət/. In British English it is /əˈprəʊprɪˌeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in appropriate?
Appropriate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PROH). Broken into parts: uh · PROH · pree · ut.
Is appropriate pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /əˈprəʊprɪˌeɪt/ (uh-PROH-prih-ayt).