How to pronounce brittle
Say it like BRIT-ul. Brittle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BRIT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce brittle. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BRIT
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Brittle pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BRITSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of brittle
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: BRIT-ul.
What does brittle mean?
- Inflexible; liable to break, snap, or shatter easily under stress, pressure, or impact.“Cast iron is much more brittle than forged iron.”
- Not physically tough or tenacious; apt to break or crumble when bending.“Shortbread is my favorite cold pastry, yet being so brittle it crumbles easily, and a lot goes to waste.”
- Tending to fracture in a conchoidal way; capable of being knapped or flaked.
- A confection of caramelized sugar and nuts.“As a child, my favorite candy was peanut brittle.”
- Anything resembling this confection, such as flapjack, a cereal bar, etc.
- To become brittle.
Where does brittle come from?
From Middle English britel, brutel, brotel (“brittle”), from Old English *brytel, *bryttol (“brittle, fragile”, literally “prone to or tending to break”); equivalent to brit + -le.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with brittle
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of brittle.
Questions about saying brittle
How do you pronounce brittle?
Say BRIT-ul. The American pronunciation is /ˈbrɪtəl/. In British English it is /ˈbrɪtəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in brittle?
Brittle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BRIT). Broken into parts: BRIT · ul.
Is brittle pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t. The British form is /ˈbrɪtəl/ (BRIT-ul).