How to pronounce holiday
Say it like HAH-luh-day. Holiday has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce holiday. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HAH
- luh
- day
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Holiday pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- luhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- dayGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of holiday
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: HOL-ih-day.
What does holiday mean?
- leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure“we get two weeks of vacation every summer”“we took a short holiday in Puerto Rico”
- a day on which work is suspended by law or custom“no mail is delivered on federal holidays”“it's a good thing that New Year's was a holiday because everyone had a hangover”
- spend or take a vacation
Where does holiday come from?
From Middle English halyday, holyday, halidei, haliȝdei, from Old English hāliġdæġ (“holy day, Sabbath”), equivalent to holy + day.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying holiday
How do you pronounce holiday?
Say HAH-luh-day. The American pronunciation is /ˈhɑləˌdeɪ/. In British English it is /ˈhɒlɪˌdeɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in holiday?
Holiday has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HAH). Broken into parts: HAH · luh · day.
Is holiday 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 /ˈhɒlɪˌdeɪ/ (HOL-ih-day).