How to pronounce clive
Say it like KLYVE. Clive is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce clive. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KLYVE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Clive pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KLYVESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of clive
American and British speakers say clive in essentially the same way: /klaɪv/ in the US and /klaɪv/ in the UK.
British respelling: KLYVE.
What does clive mean?
- To climb; ascend.
- Burdock or agrimony.
- To split; separate; cleave; chop.
Where does clive come from?
Cognate with Dutch kleven (“to adhere, stick”), German kleben (“to adhere, stick”), Swedish kliva (“to climb, stalk”), Icelandic klífa (“to climb, ascend”).
Words that rhyme with clive
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of clive.
Questions about saying clive
How do you pronounce clive?
Say KLYVE. The American pronunciation is /klaɪv/. In British English it is /klaɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in clive?
Clive is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KLYVE.
Do Americans and Brits say clive the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /klaɪv/ and the British form is /klaɪv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.