How to pronounce chiffon
Say it like shih-FON. Chiffon has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FON).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce chiffon. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- shih
- FON
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Chiffon pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- shihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- FONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of chiffon
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: shih-FON.
What does chiffon mean?
- A lightweight, balanced plain-woven sheer fabric, or gauze, like gossamer, woven of alternate S- and Z-twist crepe (high-twist) yarns made of silk, polyester, or cotton.“Her dresses are made from these marvelous chiffons.”
- Any purely ornamental accessory on a woman's dress, such as a bunch of ribbon, lace, etc.
Where does chiffon come from?
Borrowed from French chiffon, from Middle French chiffe (“cloth, old rag”), from Old French chipe (“rag”), from Middle English chip, chippe (“chip, shard, fragment”), from Old English ċipp (“chip, splinter, shaving”); see chip.
Words that rhyme with chiffon
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of chiffon.
Questions about saying chiffon
How do you pronounce chiffon?
Say shih-FON. The American pronunciation is /ʃɪˈfɑn/. In British English it is /ʃɪˈfɒn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in chiffon?
Chiffon has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FON). Broken into parts: shih · FON.
Is chiffon pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ʃɪˈfɒn/ (shih-FON).