How to pronounce determine
Say it like duh-TUR-mun. Determine has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce determine. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- duh
- TUR
- mun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Determine 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.
- TURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- munKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of determine
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: dih-TUR-min.
What does determine mean?
- establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study“find the product of two numbers”“The physicist who found the elusive particle won the Nobel Prize”
- shape or influence; give direction to“experience often determines ability”“mold public opinion”
- fix conclusively or authoritatively“set the rules”
Where does determine come from?
From Middle English determinen, from Old French determiner, French déterminer, from Latin determināre (“to bound, limit, prescribe, fix, determine”), from de + termināre (“to limit”), from terminus (“bound, limit, end”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with determine
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of determine.
Questions about saying determine
How do you pronounce determine?
Say duh-TUR-mun. The American pronunciation is /dəˈtɝmən/. In British English it is /dɪˈtɜːmɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in determine?
Determine has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TUR). Broken into parts: duh · TUR · mun.
Is determine 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 /dɪˈtɜːmɪn/ (dih-TUR-min).