How to pronounce jaywalking
Say it like JAY-waw-king. Jaywalking has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce jaywalking. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- JAY
- waw
- king
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Jaywalking pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- JAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- wawGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- kingKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of jaywalking
American and British speakers say jaywalking in essentially the same way: /ˈdʒeɪˌwɔkɪŋ/ in the US and /ˈdʒeɪˌwɔːkɪŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: JAY-waw-king.
What does jaywalking mean?
- An act of behaving as a jaywalker.
- present participle and gerund of jaywalk How to pronounce jaywalk
Where does jaywalking come from?
Back-formation from jaywalker.
Questions about saying jaywalking
How do you pronounce jaywalking?
Say JAY-waw-king. The American pronunciation is /ˈdʒeɪˌwɔkɪŋ/. In British English it is /ˈdʒeɪˌwɔːkɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in jaywalking?
Jaywalking has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JAY). Broken into parts: JAY · waw · king.
Do Americans and Brits say jaywalking the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdʒeɪˌwɔkɪŋ/ and the British form is /ˈdʒeɪˌwɔːkɪŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.