How to pronounce desultory
Say it like DES-ul-tor-ee. Desultory has four 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 desultory. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DES
- ul
- tor
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Desultory 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.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- torGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of desultory
American and British speakers say desultory in essentially the same way: /ˈdɛsəlˌtɔri/ in the US and /ˈdɛsəltəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: DES-ul-tuh-ree.
What does desultory mean?
- Jumping, or passing, from one thing or subject to another, without order, planning, or rational connection; lacking logical sequence.“He wandered round, cleaning up in a desultory way.”
- Out of course; by the way; not connected with the subject.“I made a desultory remark while I was talking to my friend.”
- Disappointing in performance or progress.
Where does desultory come from?
From Latin dēsultōrius (“hasty, casual, superficial”), from dēsultor (“a circus rider who jumped from one galloping horse to another”), from dēsiliō (“jump down”), from dē (“down”) + saliō (“jump, leap”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying desultory
How do you pronounce desultory?
Say DES-ul-tor-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɛsəlˌtɔri/. In British English it is /ˈdɛsəltəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in desultory?
Desultory has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DES). Broken into parts: DES · ul · tor · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say desultory the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdɛsəlˌtɔri/ and the British form is /ˈdɛsəltəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.