How to pronounce desiccate
Say it like DES-ih-kayt. Desiccate 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 desiccate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DES
- ih
- kayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Desiccate 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.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- kaytKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of desiccate
American and British speakers say desiccate in essentially the same way: /ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/ in the US and /ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: DES-ih-kayt.
What does desiccate mean?
- To remove moisture from; to dry; (sometimes) to dry to an extreme degree.
- To preserve by drying.
- To become dry; to dry up.
- Having had moisture removed; dehydrated, desiccated.
- A substance which has been desiccated, that is, had its moisture removed.
Where does desiccate come from?
From Latin dēsiccō (“to dry completely, dry up”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix), from dē- (“completely, to exhaustion”, a prefix) + siccō (“to dry; to drain, exhaust”), from siccus (“dry”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying desiccate
How do you pronounce desiccate?
Say DES-ih-kayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/. In British English it is /ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in desiccate?
Desiccate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DES). Broken into parts: DES · ih · kayt.
Do Americans and Brits say desiccate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/ and the British form is /ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.