How to pronounce employment
Say it like em-PLOY-munt. Employment 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 employment. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- em
- PLOY
- munt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Employment 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.
- muntKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of employment
American and British speakers say employment in essentially the same way: /ɛmˈplɔɪmənt/ in the US and /ɛmˈplɔɪmənt/ in the UK.
British respelling: em-PLOY-munt.
What does employment mean?
- the state of being employed or having a job“they are looking for employment”“he was in the employ of the city”
- the occupation for which you are paid“he is looking for employment”“a lot of people are out of work”
- the act of giving someone a job
Where does employment come from?
From employ (itself from Middle French employer, from Middle French empleier, from Latin implicō (“enfold, involve, be connected with”), itself from in- + plicō (“fold”)) + -ment.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with employment
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of employment.
Questions about saying employment
How do you pronounce employment?
Say em-PLOY-munt. The American pronunciation is /ɛmˈplɔɪmənt/. In British English it is /ɛmˈplɔɪmənt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in employment?
Employment has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PLOY). Broken into parts: em · PLOY · munt.
Do Americans and Brits say employment the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɛmˈplɔɪmənt/ and the British form is /ɛmˈplɔɪmənt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.