How to pronounce kid
Say it like KID. Kid 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 kid. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KID
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Kid pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KIDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of kid
American and British speakers say kid in essentially the same way: /kɪd/ in the US and /kɪd/ in the UK.
British respelling: KID.
What does kid mean?
- tell false information to for fun“Are you pulling my leg?”
- be silly or tease one another“After we relaxed, we just kidded around”
- a young person of either sex“she writes books for children”“they're just kids”
- soft smooth leather from the hide of a young goat“kid gloves”
- English dramatist (1558-1594)
Where does kid come from?
From Middle English kide, from Old Norse kið (“young goat”), from Proto-Germanic *kidją, *kittīną (“goatling, kid”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *gʰaydn-, *ǵʰaydn- (“goat”) or Proto-Indo-European *gidʰ- (“kid, goatling, little goat”).
Words that rhyme with kid
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of kid.
Questions about saying kid
How do you pronounce kid?
Say KID. The American pronunciation is /kɪd/. In British English it is /kɪd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in kid?
Kid is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KID.
Do Americans and Brits say kid the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kɪd/ and the British form is /kɪd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.