How to pronounce cyberpunk
Say it like SY-ber-puhngk. Cyberpunk has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce cyberpunk. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SY
- ber
- puhngk
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cyberpunk pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- berKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- puhngkGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of cyberpunk
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SY-buh-pungk.
What does cyberpunk mean?
- A subgenre of science fiction which focuses on computer or information technology and virtual reality juxtaposed with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the social order.
- A cyberpunk character, a hacker punk, a high-tech low life.“The film The Matrix redefined what a cyberpunk looked like.”
- A writer of cyberpunk fiction.
Where does cyberpunk come from?
From cyber- + -punk, coined by American writer and software developer Bruce Bethke as the title of a 1983 short story, and later popularized by Gardner Dozois.
Questions about saying cyberpunk
How do you pronounce cyberpunk?
Say SY-ber-puhngk. The American pronunciation is /ˈsaɪbɚˌpʌŋk/. In British English it is /ˈsaɪbəpʌŋk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cyberpunk?
Cyberpunk has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SY). Broken into parts: SY · ber · puhngk.
Is cyberpunk 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 /ˈsaɪbəpʌŋk/ (SY-buh-pungk).