How to pronounce eat
Say it like EET. Eat is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce eat. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- EET
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Eat pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- EETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of eat
American and British speakers say eat in essentially the same way: /it/ in the US and /iːt/ in the UK.
British respelling: EET.
What does eat mean?
- take in solid food“She was eating a banana”“What did you eat for dinner last night?”
- eat a meal; take a meal“We did not eat until 10 P.M. because there were so many phone calls”“I didn't eat yet, so I gladly accept your invitation”
- take in food; used of animals only“This dog doesn't eat certain kinds of meat”“What do whales eat?”
Where does eat come from?
Cognate with Scots ait (“to eat”), Yola ayth, eight (“to eat”), North Frisian iidj, iit, ää'e, ääre, ääse (“to eat”), Saterland Frisian iete, íete (“to eat”), West Frisian ite (“to eat”), Alemannic German asse, assu, essen, ässe, ässä (“to
Words that rhyme with eat
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of eat.
Questions about saying eat
How do you pronounce eat?
Say EET. The American pronunciation is /it/. In British English it is /iːt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in eat?
Eat is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: EET.
Do Americans and Brits say eat the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /it/ and the British form is /iːt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.