How to pronounce juvenile
Say it like JOO-vuh-nul. Juvenile has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce juvenile. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- JOO
- vuh
- nul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Juvenile pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- JOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- vuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of juvenile
American and British speakers say juvenile in essentially the same way: /ˈdʒuvənəl/ in the US and /ˈdʒuːvəˌnaɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: JOO-vuh-nyle.
What does juvenile mean?
- of or relating to or characteristic of or appropriate for children or young people“juvenile diabetes”“juvenile fashions”
- displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity“adolescent insecurity”“jejune responses to our problems”
- a young person, not fully developed
Where does juvenile come from?
Borrowed from Latin iuvenīlis (“youthful; juvenile”), from iuvenis (“young; a youth”) + -īlis (suffix forming adjectives indicating a relationship or a pertaining to).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying juvenile
How do you pronounce juvenile?
Say JOO-vuh-nul. The American pronunciation is /ˈdʒuvənəl/. In British English it is /ˈdʒuːvəˌnaɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in juvenile?
Juvenile has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JOO). Broken into parts: JOO · vuh · nul.
Do Americans and Brits say juvenile the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdʒuvənəl/ and the British form is /ˈdʒuːvəˌnaɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.