How to pronounce cigarette
Say it like sig-uh-RET. Cigarette has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (RET).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce cigarette. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- sig
- uh
- RET
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cigarette pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- sigGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- RETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of cigarette
American and British speakers say cigarette in essentially the same way: /ˌsɪɡəˈrɛt/ in the US and /ˌsɪɡəˈrɛt/ in the UK.
British respelling: sig-uh-RET.
What does cigarette mean?
- finely ground tobacco wrapped in paper; for smoking
Where does cigarette come from?
Borrowed from French cigarette, from cigare, from Spanish cigarro + diminutive suffix -ette.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with cigarette
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cigarette.
Questions about saying cigarette
How do you pronounce cigarette?
Say sig-uh-RET. The American pronunciation is /ˌsɪɡəˈrɛt/. In British English it is /ˌsɪɡəˈrɛt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cigarette?
Cigarette has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (RET). Broken into parts: sig · uh · RET.
Do Americans and Brits say cigarette the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌsɪɡəˈrɛt/ and the British form is /ˌsɪɡəˈrɛt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.