How to pronounce dissolve
Say it like dih-ZOLV. Dissolve has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ZOLV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce dissolve. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- ZOLV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dissolve 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.
- ZOLVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of dissolve
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: dih-ZOLV.
What does dissolve mean?
- To terminate a union of multiple members actively, as by disbanding.“The ruling party or coalition sometimes dissolves parliament early when the polls are favorable, hoping to reconvene with a larger majority.”
- To destroy, make disappear.
- To liquify, melt into a fluid.
- a form of film punctuation in which there is a gradual transition from one scene to the next
Where does dissolve come from?
Recorded since c. 1374 (displacing Old English toliesan) as Middle English dissolven, from Latin dissolvere (“to loosen up, break apart”) but with the sense from Anglo-Norman dissoldre (variant of Old French dissoudre), itself from dis- (“a
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with dissolve
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of dissolve.
Questions about saying dissolve
How do you pronounce dissolve?
Say dih-ZOLV. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈzɑlv/. In British English it is /dɪˈzɒlv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dissolve?
Dissolve has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ZOLV). Broken into parts: dih · ZOLV.
Is dissolve pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /dɪˈzɒlv/ (dih-ZOLV).