How to pronounce jazz
Say it like JAZ. Jazz is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- JAZ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Jazz pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- JAZSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of jazz
American and British speakers say jazz in essentially the same way: /dʒæz/ in the US and /dʒæz/ in the UK.
British respelling: JAZ.
What does jazz mean?
- A musical art form rooted in West African cultural and musical expression and in the African American blues tradition, with diverse influences over time, commonly characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms and improvisation.
- Energy, excitement, excitability.
- The substance or makeup of a thing; unspecified thing(s).“and all that jazz”
- To destroy; to ruin.“You’ve gone and jazzed it now!”
- To play (jazz music).
- To dance to the tunes of jazz music.
Where does jazz come from?
Unknown. First attested around 1912 in a discussion of baseball; attested in reference to music around 1915.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with jazz
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of jazz.
Questions about saying jazz
How do you pronounce jazz?
Say JAZ. The American pronunciation is /dʒæz/. In British English it is /dʒæz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in jazz?
Jazz is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: JAZ.
Do Americans and Brits say jazz the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dʒæz/ and the British form is /dʒæz/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.