How to pronounce ladle
Say it like LAY-dul. Ladle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ladle. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LAY
- dul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ladle pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- dulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of ladle
American and British speakers say ladle in essentially the same way: /ˈleɪdəl/ in the US and /ˈleɪdəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: LAY-dul.
What does ladle mean?
- A deep-bowled spoonlike utensil with a long, usually curved, handle.
- A container used in a foundry or steel mill to transport and pour out molten metal.
- The float or paddle on a mill wheel.
- To pour or serve something with a ladle.“One worker ladled molten steel into the shot sleeve.”
Where does ladle come from?
From Middle English ladel, from Old English hlædel, derived from Proto-Germanic *hlaþaną (“to load”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂- (“to put, lay out”), same source as Lithuanian kloti (“to spread”), equivalent to lade + -le (“agent suffix”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with ladle
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of ladle.
Questions about saying ladle
How do you pronounce ladle?
Say LAY-dul. The American pronunciation is /ˈleɪdəl/. In British English it is /ˈleɪdəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ladle?
Ladle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LAY). Broken into parts: LAY · dul.
Do Americans and Brits say ladle the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈleɪdəl/ and the British form is /ˈleɪdəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.