How to pronounce curtail
Say it like ker-TAYL. Curtail has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAYL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce curtail. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ker
- TAYL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Curtail pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kerKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- TAYLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of curtail
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: kur-TAYL.
What does curtail mean?
- To shorten or abridge the duration of; to bring an end to; to truncate.“When the audience grew restless, the speaker curtailed her speech.”
- To limit or restrict; to keep in check.
- A scroll termination, as of a step, etc.
Where does curtail come from?
Alteration of curtal, from Old French courtault (“which has been shortened”), itself from court (“short”) (from Latin curtus) + -ault
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with curtail
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of curtail.
Questions about saying curtail
How do you pronounce curtail?
Say ker-TAYL. The American pronunciation is /kɚˈteɪl/. In British English it is /kɜːˈteɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in curtail?
Curtail has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAYL). Broken into parts: ker · TAYL.
Is curtail pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /kɜːˈteɪl/ (kur-TAYL).