How to pronounce genuine
Say it like JEN-yuh-wun. Genuine 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 genuine. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- JEN
- yuh
- wun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Genuine 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.
- yuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- wunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of genuine
American and British speakers say genuine in essentially the same way: /ˈdʒɛnjəwən/ in the US and /ˈdʒɛnjʊɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: JEN-yuh-in.
What does genuine mean?
- not fake or counterfeit“a genuine Picasso”“genuine leather”
- not pretended; sincerely felt or expressed“genuine emotion”“her interest in people was unfeigned”
- being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something“her actual motive”“a literal solitude like a desert”
Where does genuine come from?
From Latin genuīnus (“innate, native, natural”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying genuine
How do you pronounce genuine?
Say JEN-yuh-wun. The American pronunciation is /ˈdʒɛnjəwən/. In British English it is /ˈdʒɛnjʊɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in genuine?
Genuine has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JEN). Broken into parts: JEN · yuh · wun.
Do Americans and Brits say genuine the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdʒɛnjəwən/ and the British form is /ˈdʒɛnjʊɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.