How to pronounce ghostly
Say it like GOHST-lee. Ghostly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GOHST).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ghostly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GOHST
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ghostly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GOHSTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of ghostly
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: GOHST-lee.
What does ghostly mean?
- Of or pertaining to ghosts or spirits.“a ghostly figure with a hood”
- Spooky; frightening.“A ghostly hush fell.”
Where does ghostly come from?
From Middle English gostly, gastlich, from Old English gāstlīċ (“spiritual, holy, clerical (not lay), ghastly, ghostly, spectral”), from Proto-West Germanic *gaistalīk (“spiritual”), equivalent to ghost + -ly.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with ghostly
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of ghostly.
Questions about saying ghostly
How do you pronounce ghostly?
Say GOHST-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡoʊstli/. In British English it is /ˈɡəʊstli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ghostly?
Ghostly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GOHST). Broken into parts: GOHST · lee.
Is ghostly pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈɡəʊstli/ (GOHST-lee).