How to pronounce cretaceous
Say it like krih-TAY-shis. Cretaceous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce cretaceous. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- krih
- TAY
- shis
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cretaceous pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- krihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- TAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shisKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of cretaceous
American and British speakers say cretaceous in essentially the same way: /krɪˈteɪʃɪs/ in the US and /krɪˈteɪʃəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: krih-TAY-shus.
What does cretaceous mean?
- Of or relating to chalk.
- Consisting of chalk.
Where does cretaceous come from?
From Latin cretaceus (“chalky”), from Latin creta.
Words that rhyme with cretaceous
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cretaceous.
Questions about saying cretaceous
How do you pronounce cretaceous?
Say krih-TAY-shis. The American pronunciation is /krɪˈteɪʃɪs/. In British English it is /krɪˈteɪʃəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cretaceous?
Cretaceous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAY). Broken into parts: krih · TAY · shis.
Do Americans and Brits say cretaceous the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /krɪˈteɪʃɪs/ and the British form is /krɪˈteɪʃəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.