How to pronounce infectious
Say it like in-FEK-shus. Infectious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FEK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce infectious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- FEK
- shus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Infectious 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.
- FEKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- shusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of infectious
American and British speakers say infectious in essentially the same way: /ˌɪnˈfɛkʃəs/ in the US and /ɪnˈfɛkʃəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: in-FEK-shus.
What does infectious mean?
- caused by infection or capable of causing infection“viruses and other infective agents”“a carrier remains infective without himself showing signs of the disease”
- easily spread“fear is exceedingly infectious; children catch it from their elders”
- of or relating to infection“infectious hospital”“infectious disease”
Where does infectious come from?
Borrowed from New Latin īnfectiōsus.
Questions about saying infectious
How do you pronounce infectious?
Say in-FEK-shus. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪnˈfɛkʃəs/. In British English it is /ɪnˈfɛkʃəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in infectious?
Infectious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FEK). Broken into parts: in · FEK · shus.
Do Americans and Brits say infectious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪnˈfɛkʃəs/ and the British form is /ɪnˈfɛkʃəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.