How to pronounce federal
Say it like FED-uh-rul. Federal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FED).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce federal. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FED
- uh
- rul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Federal pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FEDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- rulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of federal
American and British speakers say federal in essentially the same way: /ˈfɛdərəl/ in the US and /ˈfɛdərəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: FED-uh-rul.
What does federal mean?
- national; especially in reference to the government of the United States as distinct from that of its member units“the Federal Bureau of Investigation”“federal courts”
- of or relating to the central government of a federation“a federal district is one set aside as the seat of the national government”
- being of or having to do with the northern United States and those loyal to the Union during the American Civil War“Union soldiers”“Federal forces”
- a member of the Union Army during the American Civil War
- any federal law-enforcement officer
Where does federal come from?
Borrowed from French fédéral, from Latin foedus + French -al.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying federal
How do you pronounce federal?
Say FED-uh-rul. The American pronunciation is /ˈfɛdərəl/. In British English it is /ˈfɛdərəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in federal?
Federal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FED). Broken into parts: FED · uh · rul.
Do Americans and Brits say federal the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈfɛdərəl/ and the British form is /ˈfɛdərəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.