How to pronounce escalator
Say it like ES-kuh-lay-ter. Escalator has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce escalator. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ES
- kuh
- lay
- ter
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Escalator pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- layGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- terKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of escalator
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: ES-kuh-lay-tuh.
What does escalator mean?
- Anything that escalates.
- A motor-driven mechanical device consisting of a continuous loop of steps that automatically conveys people from one floor to another.“There is a plastic molly-guard covering the escalator's shutdown button to prevent little kids from pushing it and stopping the escalator.”
- An upward or progressive course.
- To move by escalator.“We escalatored to the second floor.”
Where does escalator come from?
By genericization from the former trademark Escalator, created by American inventor Charles Seeberger in 1900, from Latin ē- (“from, out of”) + scala (“ladder”) + -tor, which forms nouns of agency; see the appendix.
Questions about saying escalator
How do you pronounce escalator?
Say ES-kuh-lay-ter. The American pronunciation is /ˈɛskəˌleɪtɚ/. In British English it is /ˈɛskəleɪtə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in escalator?
Escalator has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ES). Broken into parts: ES · kuh · lay · ter.
Is escalator pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈɛskəleɪtə/ (ES-kuh-lay-tuh).