How to pronounce despicable
Say it like dih-SPIK-uh-bul. Despicable has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SPIK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce despicable. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- SPIK
- uh
- bul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Despicable pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- SPIKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- bulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of despicable
American and British speakers say despicable in essentially the same way: /dɪˈspɪkəbəl/ in the US and /dɪˈspɪkəbəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-SPIK-uh-bul.
What does despicable mean?
- Fit or deserving to be despised; contemptible; mean.
- A wretched or wicked person.
Where does despicable come from?
From Late Latin dēspicābilis, from Latin dēspicor, a variant of dēspiciō (“to despise”), from de (“down”) + speciō (“to look at, behold”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying despicable
How do you pronounce despicable?
Say dih-SPIK-uh-bul. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈspɪkəbəl/. In British English it is /dɪˈspɪkəbəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in despicable?
Despicable has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SPIK). Broken into parts: dih · SPIK · uh · bul.
Do Americans and Brits say despicable the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈspɪkəbəl/ and the British form is /dɪˈspɪkəbəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.