How to pronounce chain
Say it like CHAYN. Chain 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 chain. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- CHAYN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Chain pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- CHAYNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of chain
American and British speakers say chain in essentially the same way: /tʃeɪn/ in the US and /tʃeɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: CHAYN.
What does chain mean?
- a series of things depending on each other as if linked together“the chain of command”“a complicated concatenation of circumstances”
- (chemistry) a series of linked atoms (generally in an organic molecule)
- a series of (usually metal) rings or links fitted into one another to make a flexible ligament
- connect or arrange into a chain by linking
- fasten or secure with chains“Chain the chairs together”
Where does chain come from?
From Middle English cheyne, chaine, from Old French chaeine, chaene (“chain”), from Latin catēna (“chain”), from Proto-Indo-European *kat- (“to braid, twist; hut, shed”).
Words that rhyme with chain
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of chain.
Questions about saying chain
How do you pronounce chain?
Say CHAYN. The American pronunciation is /tʃeɪn/. In British English it is /tʃeɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in chain?
Chain is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: CHAYN.
Do Americans and Brits say chain the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /tʃeɪn/ and the British form is /tʃeɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.