How to pronounce imaginary
Say it like im-AJ-uh-ner-ee. Imaginary has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AJ).
- im
- AJ
- uh
- ner
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Imaginary pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- imGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- AJSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nerGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of imaginary
American and British speakers say imaginary in essentially the same way: /ˌɪˈmædʒəˌnɛri/ in the US and /ɪˈmædʒɪnəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: ih-MAJ-ih-nuh-ree.
What does imaginary mean?
- Existing only in the imagination.“imaginary friend”
- Relating or belonging to the imagination.
- Having no real part; that part of a complex number which is a multiple of √ (called imaginary unit).
- Imagination; fancy.
- An imaginary number.
- The set of values, institutions, laws, and symbols common to a particular social group and the corresponding society through which people imagine their social whole.
Where does imaginary come from?
The mathematical sense derives from René Descartes's use (of the French imaginaire) in 1637, La Geometrie, to ridicule the notion of regarding non-real roots of polynomials as numbers.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying imaginary
How do you pronounce imaginary?
Say im-AJ-uh-ner-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪˈmædʒəˌnɛri/. In British English it is /ɪˈmædʒɪnəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in imaginary?
Imaginary has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AJ). Broken into parts: im · AJ · uh · ner · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say imaginary the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪˈmædʒəˌnɛri/ and the British form is /ɪˈmædʒɪnəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.