How to pronounce familiarly
Say it like fuh-MIL-yer-lee. Familiarly has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MIL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce familiarly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- fuh
- MIL
- yer
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Familiarly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- fuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- MILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- yerKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of familiarly
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: fuh-MIL-yuh-lee.
What does familiarly mean?
- In a casual or informal manner, as with a close acquaintance; especially when such behavior may be considered inappropriate.“He spoke familiarly to the hotel porter.”
- In an inappropriately sexual or romantic manner.
- Colloquially; of common or vernacular speech, as opposed to scholarly language.“The giant panda, familiarly known as a "panda bear", is not actually a bear at all.”
Where does familiarly come from?
From Middle English familierly, equivalent to familiar + -ly.
Questions about saying familiarly
How do you pronounce familiarly?
Say fuh-MIL-yer-lee. The American pronunciation is /fəˈmɪljɚli/. In British English it is /fəˈmɪljəli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in familiarly?
Familiarly has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MIL). Broken into parts: fuh · MIL · yer · lee.
Is familiarly 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 /fəˈmɪljəli/ (fuh-MIL-yuh-lee).