How to pronounce guy
Say it like GHY. Guy is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce guy. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GHY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Guy pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GHYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of guy
American and British speakers say guy in essentially the same way: /ɡaɪ/ in the US and /ɡaɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: GHY.
What does guy mean?
- an informal term for a youth or man“a nice guy”“the guy's only doing it for some doll”
- an effigy of Guy Fawkes that is burned on a bonfire on Guy Fawkes Day
- a cable, wire, or rope that is used to brace something (especially a tent)
- subject to laughter or ridicule“The satirists ridiculed the plans for a new opera house”“The students poked fun at the inexperienced teacher”
- steady or support with a guy wire or cable“The Italians guyed the Tower of Pisa to prevent it from collapsing”
Where does guy come from?
Coined by semantic widening from the name of Guy Fawkes (1570–1606), an English Catholic executed for his role in the Gunpowder Plot, which also came to refer to effigies of his image burned annually on Guy Fawkes Night.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with guy
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of guy.
Questions about saying guy
How do you pronounce guy?
Say GHY. The American pronunciation is /ɡaɪ/. In British English it is /ɡaɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in guy?
Guy is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: GHY.
Do Americans and Brits say guy the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɡaɪ/ and the British form is /ɡaɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.