How to pronounce boycott
Say it like BOY-kot. Boycott has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce boycott. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BOY
- kot
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Boycott pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BOYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oy" in boy.
- kotGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of boycott
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: BOY-kot.
What does boycott mean?
- refuse to sponsor; refuse to do business with
- a group's refusal to have commercial dealings with some organization in protest against its policies
Where does boycott come from?
From Charles Boycott, an English evicting land agent in Ireland who was subject to a boycott organized by the Irish Land League in 1880.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying boycott
How do you pronounce boycott?
Say BOY-kot. The American pronunciation is /ˈbɔɪˌkɑt/. In British English it is /ˈbɔɪkɒt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in boycott?
Boycott has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOY). Broken into parts: BOY · kot.
Is boycott pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈbɔɪkɒt/ (BOY-kot).