How to pronounce knapsack
Say it like NAP-sak. Knapsack has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NAP).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce knapsack. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NAP
- sak
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Knapsack pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NAPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- sakGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of knapsack
American and British speakers say knapsack in essentially the same way: /ˈnæpˌsæk/ in the US and /ˈnæpˌsæk/ in the UK.
British respelling: NAP-sak.
What does knapsack mean?
- A set of values from which a subset is chosen.
- To go hiking while burdened with a knapsack, usually overnight or for longer.“My sleeping bag fell off my backpack into the water, while we were knapsacking up the mountain.”
Where does knapsack come from?
From Low German knapzak or Dutch knapzak (older form cnapsack), from Middle Dutch cnappen (“to bite with teeth”), ultimately from knappen (“to eat, crack”), of imitative origin, + sack.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying knapsack
How do you pronounce knapsack?
Say NAP-sak. The American pronunciation is /ˈnæpˌsæk/. In British English it is /ˈnæpˌsæk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in knapsack?
Knapsack has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NAP). Broken into parts: NAP · sak.
Do Americans and Brits say knapsack the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈnæpˌsæk/ and the British form is /ˈnæpˌsæk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.