How to pronounce component
Say it like kum-POH-nunt. Component has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (POH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce component. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kum
- POH
- nunt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Component 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.
- POHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- nuntKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of component
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: kum-POH-nunt.
What does component mean?
- an abstract part of something“jealousy was a component of his character”“two constituents of a musical composition are melody and harmony”
- something determined in relation to something that includes it“he wanted to feel a part of something bigger than himself”“I read a portion of the manuscript”
- an artifact that is one of the individual parts of which a composite entity is made up; especially a part that can be separated from or attached to a system“spare components for cars”“a component or constituent element of a system”
Where does component come from?
Borrowed from Latin compōnēns, compōnēntis, present participle of compōnō (“assemble, put together”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with component
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of component.
Questions about saying component
How do you pronounce component?
Say kum-POH-nunt. The American pronunciation is /kəmˈpoʊnənt/. In British English it is /kəmˈpəʊnənt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in component?
Component has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (POH). Broken into parts: kum · POH · nunt.
Is component pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /kəmˈpəʊnənt/ (kum-POH-nunt).