How to pronounce imperious
Say it like im-PIR-ee-us. Imperious has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PIR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce imperious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- im
- PIR
- ee
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Imperious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- imKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- PIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of imperious
American and British speakers say imperious in essentially the same way: /ɪmˈpɪriəs/ in the US and /ɪmˈpɪəriəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: im-PEER-ree-us.
What does imperious mean?
- Domineering, arrogant, or overbearing.
- Urgent; intensely compelling.
Where does imperious come from?
From Latin imperiōsus (“mighty, powerful”), from imperium (“command, authority, power”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with imperious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of imperious.
Questions about saying imperious
How do you pronounce imperious?
Say im-PIR-ee-us. The American pronunciation is /ɪmˈpɪriəs/. In British English it is /ɪmˈpɪəriəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in imperious?
Imperious has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PIR). Broken into parts: im · PIR · ee · us.
Do Americans and Brits say imperious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɪmˈpɪriəs/ and the British form is /ɪmˈpɪəriəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.