How to pronounce jig
Say it like JIG. Jig is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce jig. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- JIG
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Jig pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- JIGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of jig
American and British speakers say jig in essentially the same way: /dʒɪɡ/ in the US and /dʒɪɡ/ in the UK.
British respelling: JIG.
What does jig mean?
- To move briskly, especially as a dance.“The guests were jigging around on the dance floor.”
- To move with a skip or rhythm; to move with vibrations or jerks.
- To fish with a jig.
- A light, brisk musical movement; a gigue.
- A lively dance in 6/8 (double jig), 9/8 (slip jig) or 12/8 (single jig) time; a tune suitable for such a dance. By extension, a lively traditional tune in any of these time signatures. Unqualified, the term is usually taken to refer to a double (6/8) jig.“They danced a jig.”
- A dance performed by one or sometimes two individual dancers, as opposed to a dance performed by a set or team.
Where does jig come from?
Unknown. Derivation from Middle English gyge (“fiddle”), from Old French gigue (“a fiddle”) has been proposed, but the connection and sense development are obscure.
Words that rhyme with jig
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of jig.
Questions about saying jig
How do you pronounce jig?
Say JIG. The American pronunciation is /dʒɪɡ/. In British English it is /dʒɪɡ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in jig?
Jig is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: JIG.
Do Americans and Brits say jig the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dʒɪɡ/ and the British form is /dʒɪɡ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.