How to pronounce collect
Say it like kuh-LEKT. Collect has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LEKT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce collect. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kuh
- LEKT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Collect pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- LEKTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of collect
American and British speakers say collect in essentially the same way: /kəˈlɛkt/ in the US and /kəˈlɛkt/ in the UK.
British respelling: kuh-LEKT.
What does collect mean?
- get or gather together“I am accumulating evidence for the man's unfaithfulness to his wife”“She is amassing a lot of data for her thesis”
- call for and obtain payment of“we collected over a million dollars in outstanding debts”“he collected the rent”
- assemble or get together“gather some stones”“pull your thoughts together”
- a short prayer generally preceding the lesson in the Church of Rome or the Church of England
- payable by the recipient on delivery“a collect call”“the letter came collect”
Where does collect come from?
From Middle English collecten, a borrowing from Old French collecter, from Medieval Latin collectare (“to collect money”), from Latin collecta (“a collection of money, in Late Latin a meeting, assemblage, in Medieval Latin a tax, also an as
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with collect
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of collect.
Questions about saying collect
How do you pronounce collect?
Say kuh-LEKT. The American pronunciation is /kəˈlɛkt/. In British English it is /kəˈlɛkt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in collect?
Collect has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LEKT). Broken into parts: kuh · LEKT.
Do Americans and Brits say collect the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kəˈlɛkt/ and the British form is /kəˈlɛkt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.