How to pronounce lament
Say it like luh-MENT. Lament has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MENT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce lament. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- luh
- MENT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Lament 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.
- MENTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of lament
American and British speakers say lament in essentially the same way: /ləˈmɛnt/ in the US and /ləˈmɛnt/ in the UK.
British respelling: luh-MENT.
What does lament mean?
- To express grief; to weep or wail; to mourn.
- To express great sorrow or regret over; to bewail.
- An expression of grief, suffering, sadness or regret.
- A song expressing grief.
Where does lament come from?
A back-formation from lamentation or else from Middle French lamenter and its etymon Latin lāmentor (“to wail, weep”), from lāmentum (“wailing, moaning, weeping”); with formative -mentum, from the root *la-, probably ultimately imitative.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with lament
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of lament.
Questions about saying lament
How do you pronounce lament?
Say luh-MENT. The American pronunciation is /ləˈmɛnt/. In British English it is /ləˈmɛnt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in lament?
Lament has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MENT). Broken into parts: luh · MENT.
Do Americans and Brits say lament the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ləˈmɛnt/ and the British form is /ləˈmɛnt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.