How to pronounce eighties
Say it like AY-teez. Eighties has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AY).
VoiceSpeed
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce eighties. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/ˈeɪtiz/AY-teez
UK British/ˈeɪtiz/AY-teez
- AY
- teez
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Eighties pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- teezKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of eighties
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: AY-teez.
What does eighties mean?
noun
- plural of eighty How to pronounce eighty
- The decade of the 1880s, 1980s, etc.“Only kids born in the eighties remember this song!”
- The decade of one's life from age 80 through age 89.“Only folks in their eighties remember this song!”
- The range between 80 and 89.“No wonder I'm sweating, it's in the eighties!”
- From or evoking the 81st through 90th years of a century (chiefly the 1980s).“Sue picked a playlist of eighties music for the dinner to remind her wife of that night they met all those years ago.”
Questions about saying eighties
How do you pronounce eighties?
Say AY-teez. The American pronunciation is /ˈeɪtiz/. In British English it is /ˈeɪtiz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in eighties?
Eighties has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AY). Broken into parts: AY · teez.
Is eighties pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t. The British form is /ˈeɪtiz/ (AY-teez).