How to pronounce belt
Say it like BELT. Belt is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce belt. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BELT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Belt pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BELTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of belt
American and British speakers say belt in essentially the same way: /bɛlt/ in the US and /bɛlt/ in the UK.
British respelling: BELT.
What does belt mean?
- endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys
- a band to tie or buckle around the body (usually at the waist)
- an elongated region where a specific condition or characteristic is found“a belt of high pressure”
- sing loudly and forcefully
- deliver a blow to“He belted his opponent”
- fasten with a belt“belt your trousers”
Where does belt come from?
From Middle English belt, from Old English belt (“belt, girdle”), from Proto-West Germanic *baltī̆, from Proto-Germanic *baltijaz (“girdle, belt”), from Latin balteus (“belt, sword-belt”), of Etruscan origin.
Words that rhyme with belt
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of belt.
Questions about saying belt
How do you pronounce belt?
Say BELT. The American pronunciation is /bɛlt/. In British English it is /bɛlt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in belt?
Belt is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BELT.
Do Americans and Brits say belt the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɛlt/ and the British form is /bɛlt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.