How to pronounce commonwealth
Say it like KAH-mun-welth. Commonwealth has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce commonwealth. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KAH
- mun
- welth
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Commonwealth pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- munKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- welthGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of commonwealth
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: KOM-un-welth.
What does commonwealth mean?
- the official name of some states in the United States (Massachusetts and Pennsylvania and Virginia and Kentucky) and associated territories (Puerto Rico)
- a politically organized body of people under a single government“the state has elected a new president”“African nations”
- a world organization of autonomous states that are united in allegiance to a central power but are not subordinate to it or to one another
Where does commonwealth come from?
Also from the 1520s treated as a synonym or loan-translation of res publica (republic) (Rollison 2017:67f).
Questions about saying commonwealth
How do you pronounce commonwealth?
Say KAH-mun-welth. The American pronunciation is /ˈkɑmənˌwɛlθ/. In British English it is /ˈkɒmənˌwɛlθ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in commonwealth?
Commonwealth has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAH). Broken into parts: KAH · mun · welth.
Is commonwealth 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 /ˈkɒmənˌwɛlθ/ (KOM-un-welth).