How to pronounce ayatollah
Say it like eye-uh-TOH-luh. Ayatollah has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (TOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ayatollah. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- eye
- uh
- TOH
- luh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ayatollah pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- eyeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- TOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- luhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of ayatollah
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: eye-uh-TOH-luh.
What does ayatollah mean?
- A religious leader in Twelverism.
- An authority on any subject.
Words that rhyme with ayatollah
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of ayatollah.
Questions about saying ayatollah
How do you pronounce ayatollah?
Say eye-uh-TOH-luh. The American pronunciation is /aɪəˈtoʊlə/. In British English it is /aɪəˈtəʊlə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ayatollah?
Ayatollah has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (TOH). Broken into parts: eye · uh · TOH · luh.
Is ayatollah 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 /aɪəˈtəʊlə/ (eye-uh-TOH-luh).