How to pronounce complicity
Say it like kum-PLIS-uh-tee. Complicity has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PLIS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce complicity. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kum
- PLIS
- uh
- tee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Complicity pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kumKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- PLISSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- teeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of complicity
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: kum-PLIS-uh-tee.
What does complicity mean?
- The state of being complicit; involvement as a partner or accomplice, especially in a crime or other wrongdoing.
Where does complicity come from?
From French complicité, from Middle French, from Old French complice (“accomplice”), from Late Latin complic-, stem of complex (“partner, confederate”), from Latin complicō (“fold together”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with complicity
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of complicity.
Questions about saying complicity
How do you pronounce complicity?
Say kum-PLIS-uh-tee. The American pronunciation is /kəmˈplɪsəti/. In British English it is /kəmˈplɪsəti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in complicity?
Complicity has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PLIS). Broken into parts: kum · PLIS · uh · tee.
Is complicity pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t. The British form is /kəmˈplɪsəti/ (kum-PLIS-uh-tee).