How to pronounce faineant
Say it like FAY-nee-unt. Faineant has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce faineant. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FAY
- nee
- unt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Faineant pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- neeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- untKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of faineant
American and British speakers say faineant in essentially the same way: /ˈfeɪniənt/ in the US and /ˈfeɪniənt/ in the UK.
British respelling: FAY-nee-unt.
What does faineant mean?
- An irresponsible or lazy person.
Where does faineant come from?
From Old French fay neant, alteration of feignant (“idler”), present participle of feindre, modeled on fait (“does”) + neant (“nothing”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying faineant
How do you pronounce faineant?
Say FAY-nee-unt. The American pronunciation is /ˈfeɪniənt/. In British English it is /ˈfeɪniənt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in faineant?
Faineant has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FAY). Broken into parts: FAY · nee · unt.
Do Americans and Brits say faineant the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈfeɪniənt/ and the British form is /ˈfeɪniənt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.