How to pronounce basketball
Say it like BAS-kut-bawl. Basketball has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce basketball. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BAS
- kut
- bawl
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Basketball pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BASSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- kutKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- bawlGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of basketball
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: BAH-skit-bawl.
What does basketball mean?
- a game played on a court by two opposing teams of 5 players; points are scored by throwing the ball through an elevated horizontal hoop
- an inflated ball used in playing basketball
Where does basketball come from?
From basket + ball.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying basketball
How do you pronounce basketball?
Say BAS-kut-bawl. The American pronunciation is /ˈbæskətˌbɔl/. In British English it is /ˈbɑːskɪtˌbɔːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in basketball?
Basketball has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAS). Broken into parts: BAS · kut · bawl.
Is basketball pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat. The British form is /ˈbɑːskɪtˌbɔːl/ (BAH-skit-bawl).