How to pronounce decimate
Say it like DES-uh-mayt. Decimate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce decimate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DES
- uh
- mayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Decimate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- maytKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of decimate
American and British speakers say decimate in essentially the same way: /ˈdɛsəmeɪt/ in the US and /ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: DES-ih-mayt.
What does decimate mean?
- To destroy or remove one-tenth of (something).
- To devastate: to reduce or destroy significantly but not completely.
- To reduce to one-tenth: to destroy or remove nine-tenths of (something).
Where does decimate come from?
The verb is first attested in 1591, the noun in 1641; borrowed from Latin decimātus, perfect passive participle of decimō (“to kill one tenth; to tithe”) (see, from -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix)), from decimus (“
Questions about saying decimate
How do you pronounce decimate?
Say DES-uh-mayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɛsəmeɪt/. In British English it is /ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in decimate?
Decimate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DES). Broken into parts: DES · uh · mayt.
Do Americans and Brits say decimate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdɛsəmeɪt/ and the British form is /ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.