How to pronounce excellent
Say it like EK-suh-lunt. Excellent 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 excellent. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- EK
- suh
- lunt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Excellent 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.
- suhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- luntKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of excellent
American and British speakers say excellent in essentially the same way: /ˈɛksələnt/ in the US and /ˈɛksələnt/ in the UK.
British respelling: EK-suh-lunt.
What does excellent mean?
- very good; of the highest quality“made an excellent speech”“he was a splendid teacher”
Where does excellent come from?
From Middle English excellent, from Old French excellent, from Latin excellēns (“elevated, exalted”), present participle of excellō (“elevate, exult”), equivalent to excel + -ent.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying excellent
How do you pronounce excellent?
Say EK-suh-lunt. The American pronunciation is /ˈɛksələnt/. In British English it is /ˈɛksələnt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in excellent?
Excellent has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (EK). Broken into parts: EK · suh · lunt.
Do Americans and Brits say excellent the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɛksələnt/ and the British form is /ˈɛksələnt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.