How to pronounce festinate
Say it like FES-tih-nayt. Festinate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce festinate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FES
- tih
- nayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Festinate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- tihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- naytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of festinate
American and British speakers say festinate in essentially the same way: /ˈfɛstɪˌneɪt/ in the US and /ˈfɛstɪˌneɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: FES-tih-nayt.
What does festinate mean?
- To become involuntarily quicker, such as when walking or speaking, due to certain disorders.
- To hurry, make haste.
- To accelerate, quicken, hasten, hurry (something or someone).
Where does festinate come from?
First attested in 1556; Borrowed from Latin festīnātus, perfect passive participle of festīnō (“to hurry”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix).
Questions about saying festinate
How do you pronounce festinate?
Say FES-tih-nayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈfɛstɪˌneɪt/. In British English it is /ˈfɛstɪˌneɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in festinate?
Festinate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FES). Broken into parts: FES · tih · nayt.
Do Americans and Brits say festinate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈfɛstɪˌneɪt/ and the British form is /ˈfɛstɪˌneɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.