How to pronounce lave
Say it like LAYV. Lave 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 lave. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LAYV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Lave pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LAYVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of lave
American and British speakers say lave in essentially the same way: /leɪv/ in the US and /leɪv/ in the UK.
British respelling: LAYV.
What does lave mean?
- To bathe or wash (someone or something).
- Of a river or other water body: to flow along or past (a place or thing); to wash.
- Followed by into, on, or upon: to pour (water or some other liquid) with or as if with a ladle into or on someone or something; to lade, to ladle.
- An act of bathing or washing; a bath or bathe, a wash.
- The sea.
- That which is left over; a remainder, a remnant, the rest.
- A relict, a widow.
Where does lave come from?
The noun is derived from the verb.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with lave
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of lave.
Questions about saying lave
How do you pronounce lave?
Say LAYV. The American pronunciation is /leɪv/. In British English it is /leɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in lave?
Lave is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LAYV.
Do Americans and Brits say lave the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /leɪv/ and the British form is /leɪv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.