How to pronounce explanatory
Say it like ik-SPLAN-uh-tor-ee. Explanatory has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SPLAN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce explanatory. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ik
- SPLAN
- uh
- tor
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Explanatory pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ikKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- SPLANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- torGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of explanatory
American and British speakers say explanatory in essentially the same way: /ɪkˈsplænəˌtɔri/ in the US and /ɪkˈsplænətəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: ik-SPLAN-uh-tuh-ree.
What does explanatory mean?
- Intended to serve as an explanation.“Below the diagram is an explanatory text.”
- Disposed to explain.
Where does explanatory come from?
From Late Latin explānātōrius, from Latin explānāt-, past-participle stem of explānāre (“to explain”).
Questions about saying explanatory
How do you pronounce explanatory?
Say ik-SPLAN-uh-tor-ee. The American pronunciation is /ɪkˈsplænəˌtɔri/. In British English it is /ɪkˈsplænətəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in explanatory?
Explanatory has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SPLAN). Broken into parts: ik · SPLAN · uh · tor · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say explanatory the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɪkˈsplænəˌtɔri/ and the British form is /ɪkˈsplænətəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.