How to pronounce garlic
Say it like GAR-lik. Garlic has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GAR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce garlic. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GAR
- lik
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Garlic pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GARSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- likKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of garlic
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: GAH-lik.
What does garlic mean?
- bulbous herb of southern Europe widely naturalized; bulb breaks up into separate strong-flavored cloves
- aromatic bulb used as seasoning
Where does garlic come from?
Inherited from Middle English garlek, garlik, from Old English gārlēac (“garlic”, literally “spear-leek”), from gār ("spear"; in reference to its sharp, tapering leaves) + lēac (“leek”).
Questions about saying garlic
How do you pronounce garlic?
Say GAR-lik. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡɑrlɪk/. In British English it is /ˈɡɑːlɪk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in garlic?
Garlic has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GAR). Broken into parts: GAR · lik.
Is garlic 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 /ˈɡɑːlɪk/ (GAH-lik).