How to pronounce gentleman
Say it like JEN-tul-mun. Gentleman has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce gentleman. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- JEN
- tul
- mun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gentleman pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- JENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- tulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- munKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of gentleman
American and British speakers say gentleman in essentially the same way: /ˈdʒɛntəlmən/ in the US and /ˈdʒɛntəlmən/ in the UK.
British respelling: JEN-tul-mun.
What does gentleman mean?
- a man of refinement
- a manservant who acts as a personal attendant to his employer“Jeeves was Bertie Wooster's man”
Where does gentleman come from?
From Middle English gentilman, morphologically gentle + man, partial calque of Old French gentilhome.
Questions about saying gentleman
How do you pronounce gentleman?
Say JEN-tul-mun. The American pronunciation is /ˈdʒɛntəlmən/. In British English it is /ˈdʒɛntəlmən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gentleman?
Gentleman has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JEN). Broken into parts: JEN · tul · mun.
Do Americans and Brits say gentleman the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdʒɛntəlmən/ and the British form is /ˈdʒɛntəlmən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.