How to pronounce detective
Say it like dih-TEK-tiv. Detective has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TEK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce detective. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- TEK
- tiv
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Detective 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.
- TEKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- tivKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of detective
American and British speakers say detective in essentially the same way: /dɪˈtɛktɪv/ in the US and /dɪˈtɛktɪv/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-TEK-tiv.
What does detective mean?
- a police officer who investigates crimes
- an investigator engaged or employed in obtaining information not easily available to the public
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with detective
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of detective.
- perspective
- objective
- collective
- respective
- protective
- selective
- prospective
- subjective
- directive
- ineffective
Questions about saying detective
How do you pronounce detective?
Say dih-TEK-tiv. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈtɛktɪv/. In British English it is /dɪˈtɛktɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in detective?
Detective has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TEK). Broken into parts: dih · TEK · tiv.
Do Americans and Brits say detective the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈtɛktɪv/ and the British form is /dɪˈtɛktɪv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.