How to pronounce bit
Say it like BIT. Bit 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 bit. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BIT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bit pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BITSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of bit
American and British speakers say bit in essentially the same way: /bɪt/ in the US and /bɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: BIT.
What does bit mean?
- a small piece or quantity of something“a spot of tea”“a bit of paper”
- a small fragment of something broken off from the whole“a bit of rock caught him in the eye”
- an indefinitely short time“wait just a moment”“in a mo”
Where does bit come from?
Cognate with West Frisian bit, Saterland Frisian Bit, Dutch bit, German Low German Beet, Biet, German Biss and Bissen, Danish bid, Swedish bit, Icelandic biti.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with bit
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bit.
Questions about saying bit
How do you pronounce bit?
Say BIT. The American pronunciation is /bɪt/. In British English it is /bɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bit?
Bit is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BIT.
Do Americans and Brits say bit the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɪt/ and the British form is /bɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.