How to pronounce cetacean
Say it like sih-TAY-shun. Cetacean has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce cetacean. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- sih
- TAY
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cetacean pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- sihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- TAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of cetacean
American and British speakers say cetacean in essentially the same way: /sɪˈteɪʃən/ in the US and /sɪˈteɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: sih-TAY-shun.
What does cetacean mean?
- A marine mammal belonging to the infraorder Cetacea, including dolphins, porpoises, and whales, characterized by a streamlined body, one or two blowholes, tail flukes, and fin-like forelimbs without hind limbs.“The tour promised spiritual experiences with humpback whales and other cetaceans, but all we saw were seagulls and a dead sea otter.”
- Pertaining to the zoologic infraorder Cetacea, or associated with species falling under that taxonomic hierarchy.“The poached blubber was definitely cetacean in origin, but the particular species could not be identified.”
- Resembling or relating to large aquatic mammals.“The obese woman, ungainly on land, moved with a kind of cetacean grace in the water.”
Where does cetacean come from?
From translingual Cetacea, from Latin cētus (“whale”), + -an.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with cetacean
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cetacean.
Questions about saying cetacean
How do you pronounce cetacean?
Say sih-TAY-shun. The American pronunciation is /sɪˈteɪʃən/. In British English it is /sɪˈteɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cetacean?
Cetacean has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAY). Broken into parts: sih · TAY · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say cetacean the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /sɪˈteɪʃən/ and the British form is /sɪˈteɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.