How to pronounce collimate
Say it like KOL-ih-mayt. Collimate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KOL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce collimate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KOL
- ih
- mayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Collimate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KOLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- maytKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of collimate
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: KOL-ih-mayt.
What does collimate mean?
- To focus into a narrow beam or column; to adjust a focusing device so that it produces a narrow beam.“Lead bricks were placed around the radioactive source so that the escaping gamma rays would be limited to a collimated beam rather than filling the lab.”
Where does collimate come from?
First attested in 1623; borrowed from Latin collimātus, perfect passive participle of collīmō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), itself originating from a misreading of collīniō, collīneō.
Questions about saying collimate
How do you pronounce collimate?
Say KOL-ih-mayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈkɑlɪmeɪt/. In British English it is /ˈkɒlɪmeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in collimate?
Collimate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KOL). Broken into parts: KOL · ih · mayt.
Is collimate pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈkɒlɪmeɪt/ (KOL-ih-mayt).