How to pronounce echelon
Say it like ESH-uh-lon. Echelon has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ESH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce echelon. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ESH
- uh
- lon
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Echelon pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ESHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- lonGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of echelon
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: ESH-uh-lon.
What does echelon mean?
- A level or rank in an organization, profession, or society.
- A line of riders seeking maximum drafting in a crosswind, resulting in a diagonal line across the road.
- A formation of troops, ships, aircraft, etc., in diagonal parallel rows.
- To form troops into an echelon.
- Of a matrix: having undergone Gaussian elimination with the result that the leading coefficient or pivot (that is, the first nonzero number from the left) of a nonzero row is to the right of the pivot of the row above it, giving rise to a stepped appearance in the matrix.
Where does echelon come from?
Borrowed from French échelon (“rung; echelon”), from échelle (“ladder”) + -on (diminutive suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying echelon
How do you pronounce echelon?
Say ESH-uh-lon. The American pronunciation is /ˈɛʃəˌlɑn/. In British English it is /ˈɛʃəlɒn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in echelon?
Echelon has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ESH). Broken into parts: ESH · uh · lon.
Is echelon 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 /ˈɛʃəlɒn/ (ESH-uh-lon).