How to pronounce histrionic
Say it like his-tree-ON-ik. Histrionic has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (ON).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce histrionic. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- his
- tree
- ON
- ik
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Histrionic pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- hisGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- treeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- ONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- ikKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of histrionic
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: hih-stree-ON-ik.
What does histrionic mean?
- Of or relating to actors or acting.
- Excessively dramatic or emotional, especially with the intention to draw attention.
Where does histrionic come from?
Borrowed from Late Latin histriōnicus (“pertaining to acting; scurrilous, shameful; wretched”), from Latin histriōnicus (“pertaining to acting and the theater”), from histriō (“actor, player”) + -icus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with histrionic
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of histrionic.
Questions about saying histrionic
How do you pronounce histrionic?
Say his-tree-ON-ik. The American pronunciation is /ˌhɪstriˈɑnɪk/. In British English it is /hɪstriːˈɒnɪk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in histrionic?
Histrionic has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (ON). Broken into parts: his · tree · ON · ik.
Is histrionic pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /hɪstriːˈɒnɪk/ (hih-stree-ON-ik).