How to pronounce breastfeed
Say it like BREST-feed. Breastfeed has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BREST).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce breastfeed. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BREST
- feed
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Breastfeed pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BRESTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- feedKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of breastfeed
American and British speakers say breastfeed in essentially the same way: /ˈbrɛstfid/ in the US and /ˈbrɛstfid/ in the UK.
British respelling: BREST-feed.
What does breastfeed mean?
- To feed (a baby) milk via the breasts; to suckle; to nurse.“This is a designated place for mothers to breastfeed their babies.”
- To nurse, to suck milk from a breast.
- An instance of feeding milk to a baby from the breasts; a breastfeeding.
Where does breastfeed come from?
From breast + feed.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying breastfeed
How do you pronounce breastfeed?
Say BREST-feed. The American pronunciation is /ˈbrɛstfid/. In British English it is /ˈbrɛstfid/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in breastfeed?
Breastfeed has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BREST). Broken into parts: BREST · feed.
Do Americans and Brits say breastfeed the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈbrɛstfid/ and the British form is /ˈbrɛstfid/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.