How to pronounce fleece
Say it like FLEES. Fleece 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 fleece. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FLEES
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fleece pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FLEESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of fleece
American and British speakers say fleece in essentially the same way: /flis/ in the US and /fliːs/ in the UK.
British respelling: FLEES.
What does fleece mean?
- Hair or wool of a sheep or similar animal.
- Insulating skin with the wool attached.
- A textile similar to velvet, but with a longer pile that gives it a softness and a higher sheen.
- To con or trick (someone) out of money.
- To cut off the fleece from (a sheep or other animal).“During spring shearing we have to fleece all the sheep in just a few days.”
- To cover with, or as if with, wool.
Where does fleece come from?
From Middle English fles, flees, flese, from Old English flēos, flīes, flȳs, from Proto-West Germanic *fleus.
Words that rhyme with fleece
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fleece.
Questions about saying fleece
How do you pronounce fleece?
Say FLEES. The American pronunciation is /flis/. In British English it is /fliːs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fleece?
Fleece is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FLEES.
Do Americans and Brits say fleece the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /flis/ and the British form is /fliːs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.