How to pronounce bifocals
Say it like BY-foh-kulz. Bifocals has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bifocals. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BY
- foh
- kulz
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bifocals pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- fohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- kulzKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of bifocals
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: BY-foh-kulz.
What does bifocals mean?
- Spectacles that have corrective lenses of two different powers; used by people who need both distance and reading glasses.
Where does bifocals come from?
From bi- + focal (see focus), coined in 1824 by John Isaac Hawkins, inventor of trifocals.
Questions about saying bifocals
How do you pronounce bifocals?
Say BY-foh-kulz. The American pronunciation is /ˈbaɪfoʊkəlz/. In British English it is /ˈbaɪfəʊkəlz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bifocals?
Bifocals has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BY). Broken into parts: BY · foh · kulz.
Is bifocals pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈbaɪfəʊkəlz/ (BY-foh-kulz).