How to pronounce guinea
Say it like GHIN-ee. Guinea has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GHIN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce guinea. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GHIN
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Guinea pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GHINSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of guinea
American and British speakers say guinea in essentially the same way: /ˈɡɪni/ in the US and /ˈɡɪni/ in the UK.
British respelling: GHIN-ee.
What does guinea mean?
- a former British gold coin worth 21 shillings
- a republic in western Africa on the Atlantic; formerly a French colony; achieved independence from France in 1958
- a west African bird having dark plumage mottled with white; native to Africa but raised for food in many parts of the world
Where does guinea come from?
Its use as an ethnic slur against Italians may be due to their darker complexion compared to people of Anglo-American descent.
Words that rhyme with guinea
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of guinea.
Questions about saying guinea
How do you pronounce guinea?
Say GHIN-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡɪni/. In British English it is /ˈɡɪni/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in guinea?
Guinea has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GHIN). Broken into parts: GHIN · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say guinea the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɡɪni/ and the British form is /ˈɡɪni/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.