How to pronounce cirrus
Say it like SIR-us. Cirrus has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce cirrus. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SIR
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cirrus pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of cirrus
American and British speakers say cirrus in essentially the same way: /ˈsɪrəs/ in the US and /ˈsɪrəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: SIR-us.
What does cirrus mean?
- Synonym of tendril (“a thin, spirally coiling stem that attaches a plant to its support”).
- A thin tendril-like appendage, such as a barbel (“whisker-like sensory organ around the mouth”) of some fish, a cilium of some species of protists, or a foot of some crustaceans of the infraclass Cirripedia.
- A principal high-level type of cloud, typically composed of thin, delicate, white filaments or wisps, or narrow bands.
Where does cirrus come from?
The plural form cirri is also a learned borrowing from Latin cirrī, the nominative or vocative plural of cirrus.
Questions about saying cirrus
How do you pronounce cirrus?
Say SIR-us. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɪrəs/. In British English it is /ˈsɪrəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cirrus?
Cirrus has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIR). Broken into parts: SIR · us.
Do Americans and Brits say cirrus the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɪrəs/ and the British form is /ˈsɪrəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.