How to pronounce initialism
Say it like ih-NISH-uh-lih-zum. Initialism has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NISH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce initialism. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ih
- NISH
- uh
- lih
- zum
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Initialism pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- NISHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- lihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- zumKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of initialism
American and British speakers say initialism in essentially the same way: /ɪˈnɪʃəlɪzəm/ in the US and /ɪˈnɪʃəlɪzəm/ in the UK.
British respelling: ih-NISH-uh-lih-zum.
What does initialism mean?
- A term formed from the initial letters of several words or parts of words, which is itself pronounced letter by letter.“The term BBC is an initialism for the British Broadcasting Corporation.”
- The process of forming words or terms using initial letters of other words.
Where does initialism come from?
From initial + -ism.
Questions about saying initialism
How do you pronounce initialism?
Say ih-NISH-uh-lih-zum. The American pronunciation is /ɪˈnɪʃəlɪzəm/. In British English it is /ɪˈnɪʃəlɪzəm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in initialism?
Initialism has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NISH). Broken into parts: ih · NISH · uh · lih · zum.
Do Americans and Brits say initialism the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɪˈnɪʃəlɪzəm/ and the British form is /ɪˈnɪʃəlɪzəm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.