How to pronounce delicate
Say it like DEL-uh-kut. Delicate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DEL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce delicate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DEL
- uh
- kut
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Delicate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DELSay 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.
- kutKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of delicate
American and British speakers say delicate in essentially the same way: /ˈdɛləkət/ in the US and /ˈdɛlɪkɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: DEL-ih-kit.
What does delicate mean?
- exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury“a delicate violin passage”“delicate china”
- marked by great skill especially in meticulous technique“a surgeon's delicate touch”
- easily broken or damaged or destroyed“a kite too delicate to fly safely”“fragile porcelain plates”
Where does delicate come from?
From Middle English delicat, from Latin dēlicātus (“giving pleasure, delightful, soft, luxurious, delicate, (in Medieval Latin also) fine, slender”), from dēlicia + -ātus (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), usually in plural dēliciae (“p
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying delicate
How do you pronounce delicate?
Say DEL-uh-kut. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɛləkət/. In British English it is /ˈdɛlɪkɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in delicate?
Delicate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DEL). Broken into parts: DEL · uh · kut.
Do Americans and Brits say delicate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdɛləkət/ and the British form is /ˈdɛlɪkɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.