How to pronounce lame
Say it like LAYM. Lame 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 lame. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LAYM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Lame pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LAYMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of lame
American and British speakers say lame in essentially the same way: /leɪm/ in the US and /leɪm/ in the UK.
British respelling: LAYM.
What does lame mean?
- someone who doesn't understand what is going on
- a fabric interwoven with threads of metal“she wore a gold lame dress”
- deprive of the use of a limb, especially a leg“The accident has crippled her for life”
- pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness“a feeble excuse”“a lame argument”
- disabled in the feet or legs“a crippled soldier”“a game leg”
Where does lame come from?
From Middle English lame, from Old English lama (“lame”), from Proto-West Germanic *lam, from Proto-Germanic *lamaz (“lame”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃lemH- (“to tire; to break”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with lame
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of lame.
Questions about saying lame
How do you pronounce lame?
Say LAYM. The American pronunciation is /leɪm/. In British English it is /leɪm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in lame?
Lame is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LAYM.
Do Americans and Brits say lame the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /leɪm/ and the British form is /leɪm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.