How to pronounce jabberwocky
Say it like JAB-er-waw-kee. Jabberwocky has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JAB).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce jabberwocky. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- JAB
- er
- waw
- kee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Jabberwocky pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- JABSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- wawKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- keeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of jabberwocky
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: JAB-uh-waw-kee.
What does jabberwocky mean?
- Invented or meaningless language; nonsense.
- meaningless, worthless
- absurd, nonsense, nonsensical
Where does jabberwocky come from?
From Jabberwocky, a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying jabberwocky
How do you pronounce jabberwocky?
Say JAB-er-waw-kee. The American pronunciation is /ˈdʒæbɚwɔki/. In British English it is /ˈdʒæbəwɔːki/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in jabberwocky?
Jabberwocky has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JAB). Broken into parts: JAB · er · waw · kee.
Is jabberwocky pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈdʒæbəwɔːki/ (JAB-uh-waw-kee).