How to pronounce brightness
Say it like BRYTE-nus. Brightness has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BRYTE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce brightness. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BRYTE
- nus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Brightness pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BRYTESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- nusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of brightness
American and British speakers say brightness in essentially the same way: /ˈbraɪtnəs/ in the US and /ˈbraɪtnəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: BRYTE-nus.
What does brightness mean?
- the location of a visual perception along a continuum from black to white
- intelligence as manifested in being quick and witty
- the quality of being luminous; emitting or reflecting light“its luminosity is measured relative to that of our sun”
Where does brightness come from?
From Middle English bryghtnes, brightnesse, from Old English beorhtnes (“brightness, splendor”), from Proto-West Germanic *berhtnassī, equivalent to bright + -ness.
Words that rhyme with brightness
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of brightness.
Questions about saying brightness
How do you pronounce brightness?
Say BRYTE-nus. The American pronunciation is /ˈbraɪtnəs/. In British English it is /ˈbraɪtnəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in brightness?
Brightness has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BRYTE). Broken into parts: BRYTE · nus.
Do Americans and Brits say brightness the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈbraɪtnəs/ and the British form is /ˈbraɪtnəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.