How to pronounce levee
Say it like LEV-ee. Levee has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LEV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce levee. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LEV
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Levee pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LEVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of levee
American and British speakers say levee in essentially the same way: /ˈlɛvi/ in the US and /ˈlɛvi/ in the UK.
British respelling: LEV-ee.
What does levee mean?
- An elevated ridge of deposited sediment on the banks of a river, formed by the river's overflow at times of high discharge.
- An embankment to prevent inundation; as, the levees along the Mississippi.
- The steep bank of a river.
- A reception of visitors held after getting up.
- A formal reception, especially one given by royalty or other leaders.
- To keep within a channel by means of levees.
Where does levee come from?
From French levée, from lever (“to raise, rise”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- dike
Words that rhyme with levee
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of levee.
Words that sound like levee
Questions about saying levee
How do you pronounce levee?
Say LEV-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈlɛvi/. In British English it is /ˈlɛvi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in levee?
Levee has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LEV). Broken into parts: LEV · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say levee the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈlɛvi/ and the British form is /ˈlɛvi/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as levee?
Levee sounds the same as levy in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.