How to pronounce dovetail
Say it like DUHV-tayl. Dovetail has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DUHV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce dovetail. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DUHV
- tayl
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dovetail pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DUHVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- taylGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of dovetail
American and British speakers say dovetail in essentially the same way: /ˈdʌvˌteɪl/ in the US and /ˈdʌvteɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: DUHV-tayl.
What does dovetail mean?
- To unite (components) with a dovetail (noun sense 2.1) or similar joint.
- To combine or fit (things) together well.“The executive board dovetailed its decision neatly with the prior projects the company had taken up.”
- To interweave (a number of algorithms or subprograms) so that they can be run more or less simultaneously.
- The tail of a dove (family Columbidae); also, something having the shape of a dove's tail.
- In full dovetail joint: a type of joint where adjoining components are fastened by multiple tenons cut into wedge shapes resembling a dove's tail, which interlock with mortises having corresponding shapes.
- A tenon cut into a wedge shape resembling a dove's tail so that it interlocks with a mortise having a corresponding shape in a dovetail joint.
Where does dovetail come from?
The noun is derived from dove + tail.
Questions about saying dovetail
How do you pronounce dovetail?
Say DUHV-tayl. The American pronunciation is /ˈdʌvˌteɪl/. In British English it is /ˈdʌvteɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dovetail?
Dovetail has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DUHV). Broken into parts: DUHV · tayl.
Do Americans and Brits say dovetail the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdʌvˌteɪl/ and the British form is /ˈdʌvteɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.