How to pronounce eerie
Say it like EER-ee. Eerie has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (EER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce eerie. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- EER
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Eerie pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- EERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of eerie
American and British speakers say eerie in essentially the same way: /ˈɪri/ in the US and /ˈɪəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: EER-ee.
What does eerie mean?
- Inspiring fear, especially in a mysterious or shadowy way; strange, weird.“The eerie sounds seemed to come from the graveyard after midnight.”
- Frightened, timid.
- An eerie creature or thing.
- Alternative spelling of eyrie.
Where does eerie come from?
From Middle English eri (“fearful”), from Old English earg (“cowardly, fearful”), from Proto-West Germanic *arg, from Proto-Germanic *argaz.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with eerie
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of eerie.
Questions about saying eerie
How do you pronounce eerie?
Say EER-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈɪri/. In British English it is /ˈɪəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in eerie?
Eerie has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (EER). Broken into parts: EER · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say eerie the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɪri/ and the British form is /ˈɪəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.