How to pronounce caesura
Say it like suh-ZHUUR-uh. Caesura has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ZHUUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce caesura. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- suh
- ZHUUR
- uh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Caesura pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- suhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- ZHUURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of caesura
American and British speakers say caesura in essentially the same way: /səˈʒʊrə/ in the US and /sɪˈzjʊərə/ in the UK.
British respelling: sih-ZYOOR-uh.
What does caesura mean?
- A pause or interruption in a poem, music, building, or other work of art.
- Using two words to divide a metrical foot.
- The caesura mark ‖ or ||.
Where does caesura come from?
Latin caesūra (“cutting, hewing”), from caesus, perfect passive participle of caedō (“to cut down, hew”).
Words that rhyme with caesura
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of caesura.
Questions about saying caesura
How do you pronounce caesura?
Say suh-ZHUUR-uh. The American pronunciation is /səˈʒʊrə/. In British English it is /sɪˈzjʊərə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in caesura?
Caesura has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ZHUUR). Broken into parts: suh · ZHUUR · uh.
Do Americans and Brits say caesura the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /səˈʒʊrə/ and the British form is /sɪˈzjʊərə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.