How to pronounce heinous
Say it like HAY-nus. Heinous has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HAY).
- HAY
- nus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Heinous pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- nusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of heinous
American and British speakers say heinous in essentially the same way: /ˈheɪnəs/ in the US and /ˈheɪnəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: HAY-nus.
What does heinous mean?
- Totally reprehensible.“I hope they catch the person responsible for that heinous crime.”
- Bad, evil or villainous.
Where does heinous come from?
The fluctuation between pronunciations with /eɪ/ and /iː/ is old; the former reflects adoption of an unmonophthongised pronunciation of Old French -ai-, while the latter reflects a monophthongised form.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with heinous
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of heinous.
Questions about saying heinous
How do you pronounce heinous?
Say HAY-nus. The American pronunciation is /ˈheɪnəs/. In British English it is /ˈheɪnəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in heinous?
Heinous has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HAY). Broken into parts: HAY · nus.
Do Americans and Brits say heinous the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈheɪnəs/ and the British form is /ˈheɪnəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.