How to pronounce inaugural
Say it like in-AW-guh-rul. Inaugural has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AW).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce inaugural. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- AW
- guh
- rul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Inaugural pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- AWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- guhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- rulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of inaugural
American and British speakers say inaugural in essentially the same way: /ˌɪˈnɔɡərəl/ in the US and /ɪˈnɔːɡjərəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: ih-NAW-ghyuh-rul.
What does inaugural mean?
- occurring at or characteristic of a formal investiture or induction“the President's inaugural address”“an inaugural ball”
- serving to set in motion“the magazine's inaugural issue”“the initiative phase in the negotiations”
- an address delivered at an inaugural ceremony (especially by a United States president)
- the ceremonial induction into a position“the new president obviously enjoyed his inauguration”
Where does inaugural come from?
From French inaugural, from inaugurer, from Latin augurare (“to take omens”).
Questions about saying inaugural
How do you pronounce inaugural?
Say in-AW-guh-rul. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪˈnɔɡərəl/. In British English it is /ɪˈnɔːɡjərəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in inaugural?
Inaugural has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AW). Broken into parts: in · AW · guh · rul.
Do Americans and Brits say inaugural the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪˈnɔɡərəl/ and the British form is /ɪˈnɔːɡjərəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.