How to pronounce gargantuan
Say it like gar-GAN-choo-un. Gargantuan has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (GAN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce gargantuan. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- gar
- GAN
- choo
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gargantuan pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- garKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- GANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- chooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of gargantuan
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: gah-GAN-choo-un.
What does gargantuan mean?
- Huge; immense; tremendous.
Where does gargantuan come from?
From French Gargantua, a giant with a very large appetite in Rabelais's The Inestimable Life of Gargantua.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying gargantuan
How do you pronounce gargantuan?
Say gar-GAN-choo-un. The American pronunciation is /ɡɑrˈɡæntʃuən/. In British English it is /ɡɑːˈɡæntʃuən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gargantuan?
Gargantuan has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (GAN). Broken into parts: gar · GAN · choo · un.
Is gargantuan pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ɡɑːˈɡæntʃuən/ (gah-GAN-choo-un).