How to pronounce dictate
Say it like DIK-tayt. Dictate 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 dictate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DIK
- tayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dictate 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.
- taytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of dictate
- The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 1, while British speakers stress syllable 2.
British respelling: dik-TAYT.
Other ways to say dictate
Dictate also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- dik-TAYT /dɪkˈteɪt/
What does dictate mean?
- an authoritative rule
- a guiding principle“the dictates of reason”
- issue commands or orders for
- say out loud for the purpose of recording“He dictated a report to his secretary”
- rule as a dictator
Where does dictate come from?
First attested in 1581; borrowed from Latin dictātum (“a thing said, something dictated”), substantivized from the nominative neuter singular of dictātus, the perfect passive participle of dictō (“pronounce or declare repeatedly; dictate”),
Questions about saying dictate
How do you pronounce dictate?
Say DIK-tayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɪkˌteɪt/. In British English it is /dɪkˈteɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dictate?
Dictate has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DIK). Broken into parts: DIK · tayt.
Is dictate pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 1, while British speakers stress syllable 2. The British form is /dɪkˈteɪt/ (dik-TAYT).