How to pronounce bespeak
Say it like bih-SPEEK. Bespeak has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SPEEK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bespeak. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- bih
- SPEEK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bespeak 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.
- SPEEKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of bespeak
American and British speakers say bespeak in essentially the same way: /bɪˈspik/ in the US and /bɪˈspiːk/ in the UK.
British respelling: bih-SPEEK.
What does bespeak mean?
- To speak for beforehand; engage in advance; make arrangements for; order, commission, reserve or arrange for something to be made in advance.
- To stipulate, solicit, ask for, or request, as in a favor.“to bespeak a calm hearing”
- To betoken; show; indicate; depict; foretell; suggest; allude to.“This act bespeaks his kindness.”
Where does bespeak come from?
From Middle English bespeken, bispeken, from Old English *bespecan, besprecan (“to speak about, speak against, accuse of, claim at law, complain”), from Proto-West Germanic *bisprekan (“to discuss, blame”), from Proto-Germanic *bisprekaną (
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with bespeak
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bespeak.
Questions about saying bespeak
How do you pronounce bespeak?
Say bih-SPEEK. The American pronunciation is /bɪˈspik/. In British English it is /bɪˈspiːk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bespeak?
Bespeak has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SPEEK). Broken into parts: bih · SPEEK.
Do Americans and Brits say bespeak the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɪˈspik/ and the British form is /bɪˈspiːk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.