How to pronounce average
Say it like AV-uh-rij. Average has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AV).
- AV
- uh
- rij
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Average pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AVSay 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.
- rijKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of average
American and British speakers say average in essentially the same way: /ˈævərɪdʒ/ in the US and /ˈævərɪdʒ/ in the UK.
British respelling: AV-uh-rij.
What does average mean?
- Any measure of central tendency, especially any mean, the median, or the mode.“You need to show some averages in an executive summary, show some samples of raw data in the document body, and move the full raw data to an appendix.”
- The arithmetic mean.“The average of 10, 20 and 24 is (10 + 20 + 24)/3 = 18.”
- A financial loss due to damage to transported goods; compensation for damage or loss.
- Constituting or relating to the average.“The average age of the participants was 18.5.”
- Neither very good nor very bad; rated somewhere in the middle of all others in the same category.“I soon found I was only an average chess player.”
- Typical.“The average family will not need the more expensive features of this product.”
- To compute the average of, especially the arithmetic mean.“If you average 10, 20, and 24, you get 18.”
- Over a period of time or across members of a population, to have or generate a mean value of.“The daily high temperature last month averaged 15°C.”
- To divide among a number, according to a given proportion.“to average a loss”
Where does average come from?
The English suffix -age was added in analogy to words like damage.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying average
How do you pronounce average?
Say AV-uh-rij. The American pronunciation is /ˈævərɪdʒ/. In British English it is /ˈævərɪdʒ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in average?
Average has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AV). Broken into parts: AV · uh · rij.
Do Americans and Brits say average the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈævərɪdʒ/ and the British form is /ˈævərɪdʒ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.