How to pronounce flap
Say it like FLAP. Flap is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce flap. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FLAP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Flap pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FLAPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of flap
American and British speakers say flap in essentially the same way: /flæp/ in the US and /flæp/ in the UK.
British respelling: FLAP.
What does flap mean?
- To move (something broad and loose) up and down.“The crow slowly flapped its wings.”
- To move loosely back and forth.“The flag flapped in the breeze.”
- For a goalkeeper to weakly attempt to play a flighted ball with the hands, failing to control it.
- Anything broad and flexible that hangs loose, or that is attached by one side or end and is easily moved.“a flap of a garment”
- A hinged leaf.“the flaps of a table”
- A hinged surface on the trailing edge of the wings of an aeroplane, used to increase lift and drag.
Where does flap come from?
From Middle English flap, flappe (“a slap; blow; buffet; fly-flap; something flexible or loose; flap”), related to Saterland Frisian Flappert (“wing, flipper”), Middle Dutch flabbe (“a blow; slap on the face; fly-flap; flap”) (modern Dutch
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with flap
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of flap.
Questions about saying flap
How do you pronounce flap?
Say FLAP. The American pronunciation is /flæp/. In British English it is /flæp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in flap?
Flap is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FLAP.
Do Americans and Brits say flap the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /flæp/ and the British form is /flæp/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.