How to pronounce caste
Say it like KAST. Caste is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce caste. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KAST
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Caste pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KASTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of caste
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: KAHST.
What does caste mean?
- social status or position conferred by a system based on class“lose caste by doing work beneath one's station”
- (Hinduism) a hereditary social class among Hindus; stratified according to ritual purity
- a social class separated from others by distinctions of hereditary rank or profession or wealth
Where does caste come from?
Borrowed from Portuguese or Spanish casta (“lineage, breed, race”), which the OED derives from Portuguese casto (“chaste”), from Latin castus (“chaste"; "chastity”), Coromines (1987) argues instead for a hypothetical Gothic form *𐌺𐌰𐍃𐍄𐍃 (*ka
Words that rhyme with caste
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of caste.
Words that sound like caste
Questions about saying caste
How do you pronounce caste?
Say KAST. The American pronunciation is /kæst/. In British English it is /kɑːst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in caste?
Caste is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KAST.
Is caste pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat. The British form is /kɑːst/ (KAHST).
What words sound the same as caste?
Caste sounds the same as cast in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.