How to pronounce belie
Say it like bih-LY. Belie has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce belie. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- bih
- LY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Belie pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- bihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- LYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of belie
American and British speakers say belie in essentially the same way: /bɪˈlaɪ/ in the US and /bɪˈlaɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: bih-LY.
What does belie mean?
- To lie around; encompass.
- To give a false representation of.“Her smooth complexion and dark hair belie her actual age.”
- To contradict, to show (something) to be false.“Her obvious nervousness belied what she said.”
- To call a liar; to accuse of falsehood.
Where does belie come from?
From Middle English belyen, beliggen, from Old English beliċġan, biliċġan (“to lie around, surround, hedge in, encompass”), from Proto-West Germanic *biliggjan, from Proto-Germanic *biligjaną (“to lie around”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with belie
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of belie.
Questions about saying belie
How do you pronounce belie?
Say bih-LY. The American pronunciation is /bɪˈlaɪ/. In British English it is /bɪˈlaɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in belie?
Belie has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LY). Broken into parts: bih · LY.
Do Americans and Brits say belie the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɪˈlaɪ/ and the British form is /bɪˈlaɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.