How to pronounce chimpanzee
Say it like chim-PAN-zee. Chimpanzee has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PAN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce chimpanzee. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- chim
- PAN
- zee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Chimpanzee pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- chimKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- PANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- zeeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of chimpanzee
- The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 2, while British speakers stress syllable 3.
British respelling: chim-pan-ZEE.
What does chimpanzee mean?
- Pan troglodytes, a species of great ape native to the savannas and forests of Africa, and believed by biologists to be the closest extant relative to humans along with the bonobo.
- A great ape of the genus Pan, including the bonobo which was formerly known as the pygmy chimpanzee.
Where does chimpanzee come from?
The name is derived from an unspecified Bantu language of Angola (compare Vili ci-mpenzi), probably brought to the English language via French chimpanzé.
Words that rhyme with chimpanzee
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of chimpanzee.
Questions about saying chimpanzee
How do you pronounce chimpanzee?
Say chim-PAN-zee. The American pronunciation is /tʃɪmˈpænzi/. In British English it is /ˌtʃɪmpænˈziː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in chimpanzee?
Chimpanzee has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PAN). Broken into parts: chim · PAN · zee.
Is chimpanzee pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 2, while British speakers stress syllable 3. The British form is /ˌtʃɪmpænˈziː/ (chim-pan-ZEE).