How to pronounce devious
Say it like DEE-vee-us. Devious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DEE).
- DEE
- vee
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Devious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- veeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of devious
American and British speakers say devious in essentially the same way: /ˈdiviəs/ in the US and /ˈdiːviəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: DEE-vee-us.
What does devious mean?
- Cunning or deceiving, not straightforward or honest, not frank.
Where does devious come from?
1590s, "out of the common or direct way," from Latin devius (“out of the way, remote, off the main road”), from de via, from de (“off”) (see de-) + via (“way, road”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with devious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of devious.
Questions about saying devious
How do you pronounce devious?
Say DEE-vee-us. The American pronunciation is /ˈdiviəs/. In British English it is /ˈdiːviəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in devious?
Devious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DEE). Broken into parts: DEE · vee · us.
Do Americans and Brits say devious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdiviəs/ and the British form is /ˈdiːviəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.