How to pronounce dickens
Say it like DIK-unz. Dickens has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DIK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce dickens. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DIK
- unz
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dickens pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DIKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- unzKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of dickens
American and British speakers say dickens in essentially the same way: /ˈdɪkənz/ in the US and /ˈdɪkənz/ in the UK.
British respelling: DIK-unz.
What does dickens mean?
- a word used in exclamations of confusion“what the devil”“the deuce with it”
- English writer whose novels depicted and criticized social injustice (1812-1870)
Where does dickens come from?
Origin: 1590–1600; apparently a fanciful use of the proper name Dicken, diminutive form of Dick.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying dickens
How do you pronounce dickens?
Say DIK-unz. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɪkənz/. In British English it is /ˈdɪkənz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dickens?
Dickens has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DIK). Broken into parts: DIK · unz.
Do Americans and Brits say dickens the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdɪkənz/ and the British form is /ˈdɪkənz/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.