How to pronounce device
Say it like dih-VYCE. Device has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VYCE).
- dih
- VYCE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Device 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.
- VYCESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of device
American and British speakers say device in essentially the same way: /dɪˈvaɪs/ in the US and /dɪˈvaɪs/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-VYCE.
What does device mean?
- Any piece of equipment made for a particular purpose, especially a mechanical or electrical one.
- A peripheral device; an item of hardware.
- A project or scheme, often designed to deceive; a stratagem; an artifice. 1602, Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor. "This is our device,/ That Falstaff at that oak shall meet with us."
Where does device come from?
From Middle English devis, devise, devyce, devys, devyse, from Old French devis and devise, from Latin dīvīsus, past participle of dīvidō (“to divide”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with device
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of device.
Words that sound like device
Questions about saying device
How do you pronounce device?
Say dih-VYCE. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈvaɪs/. In British English it is /dɪˈvaɪs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in device?
Device has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VYCE). Broken into parts: dih · VYCE.
Do Americans and Brits say device the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈvaɪs/ and the British form is /dɪˈvaɪs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as device?
Device sounds the same as devise in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.