How to pronounce employee
Say it like em-PLOY-ee. Employee has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PLOY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce employee. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- em
- PLOY
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Employee pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- emKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- PLOYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oy" in boy.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of employee
American and British speakers say employee in essentially the same way: /ɛmˈplɔɪi/ in the US and /ɛmˈplɔɪi/ in the UK.
British respelling: em-PLOY-ee.
What does employee mean?
- a worker who is hired to perform a job
Where does employee come from?
From employ + -ee. First attested in the early 19th century, possibly modeled after French employé.
Questions about saying employee
How do you pronounce employee?
Say em-PLOY-ee. The American pronunciation is /ɛmˈplɔɪi/. In British English it is /ɛmˈplɔɪi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in employee?
Employee has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PLOY). Broken into parts: em · PLOY · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say employee the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɛmˈplɔɪi/ and the British form is /ɛmˈplɔɪi/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.