How to pronounce decennium
Say it like dih-SEN-ee-um. Decennium has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce decennium. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- SEN
- ee
- um
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Decennium pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- SENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- umKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of decennium
American and British speakers say decennium in essentially the same way: /dɪˈsɛniəm/ in the US and /dɪˈsɛniəm/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-SEN-ee-um.
What does decennium mean?
- Synonym of decade: a ten year period.
Where does decennium come from?
From Latin decennium, from decennis (“10-year”) + -ium (suffix forming abstract nouns), from deciēs (“ten times”) + annus (“year”) + -is (suffix forming compound adjectives).
Words that rhyme with decennium
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of decennium.
Questions about saying decennium
How do you pronounce decennium?
Say dih-SEN-ee-um. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈsɛniəm/. In British English it is /dɪˈsɛniəm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in decennium?
Decennium has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SEN). Broken into parts: dih · SEN · ee · um.
Do Americans and Brits say decennium the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈsɛniəm/ and the British form is /dɪˈsɛniəm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.