How to pronounce excavate
Say it like EK-skuh-vayt. Excavate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (EK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce excavate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- EK
- skuh
- vayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Excavate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- EKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- skuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- vaytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of excavate
American and British speakers say excavate in essentially the same way: /ˈɛkskəˌveɪt/ in the US and /ˈɛkskəˌveɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: EK-skuh-vayt.
What does excavate mean?
- To make a hole in (something); to hollow.
- To remove part of (something) by scooping or digging it out.
- To uncover (something) by digging.
- Made hollow.
- Any member of a major grouping of unicellular eukaryotes, of the clade Excavata.
Where does excavate come from?
First attested in 1599, from Latin excavātus (“hollowed out”), perfect passive participle of excavō (“to hollow out”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from ex (“out”) + cavō (“to hollow out, pierce”), fr
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying excavate
How do you pronounce excavate?
Say EK-skuh-vayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈɛkskəˌveɪt/. In British English it is /ˈɛkskəˌveɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in excavate?
Excavate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (EK). Broken into parts: EK · skuh · vayt.
Do Americans and Brits say excavate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɛkskəˌveɪt/ and the British form is /ˈɛkskəˌveɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.