How to pronounce bureaucracy
Say it like byuh-RAH-kruh-see. Bureaucracy has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (RAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bureaucracy. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- byuh
- RAH
- kruh
- see
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bureaucracy pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- byuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
- RAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- kruhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- seeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of bureaucracy
- American English uses 4 syllables and British English 5.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: byoo-uh-ROK-ruh-see.
What does bureaucracy mean?
- nonelective government officials
- a government that is administered primarily by bureaus that are staffed with nonelective officials
- any organization in which action is obstructed by insistence on unnecessary procedures and red tape
Where does bureaucracy come from?
From bureau + -cracy, from French bureaucratie, coined by Jean Claude Marie Vincent de Gournay from bureau (“office”) + -cratie (“rule of”).
Words that rhyme with bureaucracy
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bureaucracy.
Questions about saying bureaucracy
How do you pronounce bureaucracy?
Say byuh-RAH-kruh-see. The American pronunciation is /bjʊˈrɑkrəsi/. In British English it is /bjuəˈrɒkrəsi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bureaucracy?
Bureaucracy has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (RAH). Broken into parts: byuh · RAH · kruh · see.
Is bureaucracy pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. American English uses 4 syllables and British English 5. The British form is /bjuəˈrɒkrəsi/ (byoo-uh-ROK-ruh-see).