How to pronounce famous
Say it like FAY-mus. Famous has two 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 famous. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FAY
- mus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Famous 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.
- musKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of famous
American and British speakers say famous in essentially the same way: /ˈfeɪməs/ in the US and /ˈfeɪməs/ in the UK.
British respelling: FAY-mus.
What does famous mean?
- widely known and esteemed“a famous actor”“a celebrated musician”
Where does famous come from?
From Middle English famous, from Anglo-Norman famous, from Latin fāmōsus, equivalent to fame + -ous.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with famous
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of famous.
Questions about saying famous
How do you pronounce famous?
Say FAY-mus. The American pronunciation is /ˈfeɪməs/. In British English it is /ˈfeɪməs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in famous?
Famous has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FAY). Broken into parts: FAY · mus.
Do Americans and Brits say famous the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈfeɪməs/ and the British form is /ˈfeɪməs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.