How to pronounce lamassu
Say it like luh-MAS-oo. Lamassu has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MAS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce lamassu. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- luh
- MAS
- oo
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Lamassu pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- luhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- MASSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- ooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of lamassu
American and British speakers say lamassu in essentially the same way: /ləˈmæsu/ in the US and /ləˈmæsuː/ in the UK.
British respelling: luh-MAS-oo.
What does lamassu mean?
- An Assyrian protective deity, often depicted as having the head of a human, the body of an ox or lion, and the wings of a bird.
- A representation – especially a statue – of a lamassu.
Where does lamassu come from?
Learned borrowing from Akkadian 𒀭𒆗 (lamassu).
Questions about saying lamassu
How do you pronounce lamassu?
Say luh-MAS-oo. The American pronunciation is /ləˈmæsu/. In British English it is /ləˈmæsuː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in lamassu?
Lamassu has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MAS). Broken into parts: luh · MAS · oo.
Do Americans and Brits say lamassu the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ləˈmæsu/ and the British form is /ləˈmæsuː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.