How to pronounce civilian
Say it like suh-VIL-yun. Civilian has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VIL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce civilian. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- suh
- VIL
- yun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Civilian pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- suhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- VILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- yunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of civilian
American and British speakers say civilian in essentially the same way: /səˈvɪljən/ in the US and /sɪˈvɪljən/ in the UK.
British respelling: sih-VIL-yun.
What does civilian mean?
- associated with civil life or performed by persons who are not active members of the military“civilian clothing”“civilian life”
- a nonmilitary citizen
Where does civilian come from?
From Middle English cyvylien, from Old French civilien.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with civilian
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of civilian.
Questions about saying civilian
How do you pronounce civilian?
Say suh-VIL-yun. The American pronunciation is /səˈvɪljən/. In British English it is /sɪˈvɪljən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in civilian?
Civilian has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VIL). Broken into parts: suh · VIL · yun.
Do Americans and Brits say civilian the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /səˈvɪljən/ and the British form is /sɪˈvɪljən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.