How to pronounce backpack
Say it like BAK-pak. Backpack has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAK).
- BAK
- pak
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Backpack pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BAKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- pakGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of backpack
American and British speakers say backpack in essentially the same way: /ˈbækˌpæk/ in the US and /ˈbækpæk/ in the UK.
British respelling: BAK-pak.
What does backpack mean?
- A knapsack, sometimes mounted on a light frame, but always supported by straps, worn on a person’s back for the purpose of carrying things, especially when hiking, or on a student's back when carrying books.
- A similarly placed item containing a parachute or other life support equipment.
- To hike and camp overnight in backcountry with one's gear carried in a backpack.“I spent a month backpacking in the Rockies.”
- To engage in low-cost, generally urban, travel with minimal luggage and frugal accommodation.
- To place or carry (an item or items) in a backpack.“Astronauts backpack oxygen during spacewalks.”
Where does backpack come from?
From back + pack. First attested in 1896.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying backpack
How do you pronounce backpack?
Say BAK-pak. The American pronunciation is /ˈbækˌpæk/. In British English it is /ˈbækpæk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in backpack?
Backpack has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAK). Broken into parts: BAK · pak.
Do Americans and Brits say backpack the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈbækˌpæk/ and the British form is /ˈbækpæk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.