How to pronounce king
Say it like KING. King 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 king. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KING
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
King pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KINGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of king
American and British speakers say king in essentially the same way: /kɪŋ/ in the US and /kɪŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: KING.
What does king mean?
- a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
- a competitor who holds a preeminent position
- a very wealthy or powerful businessman“an oil baron”
Where does king come from?
The verb is inherited from Middle English kingen, kyngen (“to perform the duties of a king”), itself from the noun.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with king
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of king.
Questions about saying king
How do you pronounce king?
Say KING. The American pronunciation is /kɪŋ/. In British English it is /kɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in king?
King is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KING.
Do Americans and Brits say king the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kɪŋ/ and the British form is /kɪŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.