How to pronounce county
Say it like KOWN-tee. County has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KOWN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce county. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KOWN
- tee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
County pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KOWNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
- teeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of county
American and British speakers say county in essentially the same way: /ˈkaʊnti/ in the US and /ˈkaʊnti/ in the UK.
British respelling: KOWN-tee.
What does county mean?
- (United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government“the county has a population of 12,345 people”
- (United States) the largest administrative district within a state“the county plans to build a new road”
Where does county come from?
From Middle English countee, counte, conte, from Anglo-Norman counté, Old French conté (French comté), from Latin comitātus (“jurisdiction of a count”), from comes (“count, earl”).
Words that rhyme with county
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of county.
Questions about saying county
How do you pronounce county?
Say KOWN-tee. The American pronunciation is /ˈkaʊnti/. In British English it is /ˈkaʊnti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in county?
County has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KOWN). Broken into parts: KOWN · tee.
Do Americans and Brits say county the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈkaʊnti/ and the British form is /ˈkaʊnti/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.