How to pronounce inch
Say it like INCH. Inch is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce inch. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- INCH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Inch pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- INCHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of inch
American and British speakers say inch in essentially the same way: /ɪntʃ/ in the US and /ɪntʃ/ in the UK.
British respelling: INCH.
What does inch mean?
- a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
- a unit of measurement for advertising space
- advance slowly, as if by inches“He edged towards the car”
Where does inch come from?
From Middle English ynche, enche, from Old English ynċe, borrowed from Latin ū̆ncia (“Roman inch, various similar units”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with inch
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of inch.
Questions about saying inch
How do you pronounce inch?
Say INCH. The American pronunciation is /ɪntʃ/. In British English it is /ɪntʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in inch?
Inch is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: INCH.
Do Americans and Brits say inch the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɪntʃ/ and the British form is /ɪntʃ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.