How to pronounce derailleur
Say it like duh-RAY-ler. Derailleur has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (RAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce derailleur. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- duh
- RAY
- ler
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Derailleur pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- duhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- RAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- lerKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of derailleur
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: dih-RAY-lyuh.
What does derailleur mean?
- A mechanism on a bicycle wheel used while cycling to move the bicycle chain from one sprocket (gear) to another, to change speeds.
- The entire gearset on a bicycle with such a mechanism.
Where does derailleur come from?
Unadapted borrowing from French dérailleur, from dérailler (“to derail”) + -eur (suffix forming masculine agent nouns from verbs).
Questions about saying derailleur
How do you pronounce derailleur?
Say duh-RAY-ler. The American pronunciation is /dəˈreɪlər/. In British English it is /dɪˈreɪljə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in derailleur?
Derailleur has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (RAY). Broken into parts: duh · RAY · ler.
Is derailleur 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 /dɪˈreɪljə/ (dih-RAY-lyuh).