How to pronounce breadline
Say it like BRED-lyne. Breadline has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BRED).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce breadline. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BRED
- lyne
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Breadline pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BREDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- lyneKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of breadline
American and British speakers say breadline in essentially the same way: /ˈbrɛdlaɪn/ in the US and /ˈbrɛdlaɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: BRED-lyne.
What does breadline mean?
- A line of people waiting to receive food from a charity.
- The lowest income level at which one's most basic necessities of survival are met; poverty line or subsistence level.“Every day brings new worries about falling below the breadline.”
Where does breadline come from?
From bread + line. In sense 2, referring to the income level at which one can afford to buy bread, a staple food.
Words that rhyme with breadline
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of breadline.
Questions about saying breadline
How do you pronounce breadline?
Say BRED-lyne. The American pronunciation is /ˈbrɛdlaɪn/. In British English it is /ˈbrɛdlaɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in breadline?
Breadline has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BRED). Broken into parts: BRED · lyne.
Do Americans and Brits say breadline the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈbrɛdlaɪn/ and the British form is /ˈbrɛdlaɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.