How to pronounce ideal
Say it like eye-DEEL. Ideal has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DEEL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ideal. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- eye
- DEEL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ideal pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- eyeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- DEELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of ideal
American and British speakers say ideal in essentially the same way: /aɪˈdil/ in the US and /aɪˈdɪəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: eye-DEERL.
What does ideal mean?
- the idea of something that is perfect; something that one hopes to attain
- model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
- conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal
- constituting or existing only in the form of an idea or mental image or conception“a poem or essay may be typical of its period in idea or ideal content”
- of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of the reality of ideas
Where does ideal come from?
In mathematics, the noun ring theory sense was first introduced by German mathematician Richard Dedekind in his 1871 edition of a text on number theory.
Words that rhyme with ideal
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of ideal.
Questions about saying ideal
How do you pronounce ideal?
Say eye-DEEL. The American pronunciation is /aɪˈdil/. In British English it is /aɪˈdɪəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ideal?
Ideal has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DEEL). Broken into parts: eye · DEEL.
Do Americans and Brits say ideal the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /aɪˈdil/ and the British form is /aɪˈdɪəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.