How to pronounce decontaminate
Say it like dee-kun-TAM-uh-nayt. Decontaminate has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (TAM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce decontaminate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dee
- kun
- TAM
- uh
- nayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Decontaminate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- deeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- kunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- TAMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- naytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of decontaminate
American and British speakers say decontaminate in essentially the same way: /dikənˈtæməˌneɪt/ in the US and /diːkənˈtæmɪneɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: dee-kun-TAM-ih-nayt.
What does decontaminate mean?
- To remove contamination from (something), rendering it safe.
Where does decontaminate come from?
From de- + contaminate.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying decontaminate
How do you pronounce decontaminate?
Say dee-kun-TAM-uh-nayt. The American pronunciation is /dikənˈtæməˌneɪt/. In British English it is /diːkənˈtæmɪneɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in decontaminate?
Decontaminate has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (TAM). Broken into parts: dee · kun · TAM · uh · nayt.
Do Americans and Brits say decontaminate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dikənˈtæməˌneɪt/ and the British form is /diːkənˈtæmɪneɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.