How to pronounce grapefruit
Say it like GRAYP-froot. Grapefruit has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GRAYP).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce grapefruit. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GRAYP
- froot
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Grapefruit pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GRAYPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- frootGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of grapefruit
American and British speakers say grapefruit in essentially the same way: /ˈɡreɪpˌfrut/ in the US and /ˈɡreɪpˌfruːt/ in the UK.
British respelling: GRAYP-froot.
What does grapefruit mean?
- The tree of the species Citrus paradisi, a hybrid of Citrus maxima and sweet orange.
- The large spherical tart fruit produced by this tree.
Where does grapefruit come from?
Widely assumed to be a marketing term from grape + fruit, an allusion to the supposed grapelike clusters of fruit on the tree, early 19th c.
Questions about saying grapefruit
How do you pronounce grapefruit?
Say GRAYP-froot. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡreɪpˌfrut/. In British English it is /ˈɡreɪpˌfruːt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in grapefruit?
Grapefruit has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GRAYP). Broken into parts: GRAYP · froot.
Do Americans and Brits say grapefruit the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɡreɪpˌfrut/ and the British form is /ˈɡreɪpˌfruːt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.