How to pronounce libido
Say it like luh-BEE-doh. Libido has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce libido. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- luh
- BEE
- doh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Libido 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.
- BEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- dohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of libido
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: lih-BEE-doh.
What does libido mean?
- Sexual urges or drives.“Good grief man, control your libido!”
- Drives or mental energies related to or based on sexual instincts but not necessarily sexual in and of themselves.“For Freudians, libido means the desire to "unite and bind" with objects in the world.”
- Synonym of albedo in terms of a planet's, such as that of Mars, average surface spectral reflectivity.
Where does libido come from?
Learned borrowing from Latin libīdō (“lust, desire”).
Words that rhyme with libido
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of libido.
Questions about saying libido
How do you pronounce libido?
Say luh-BEE-doh. The American pronunciation is /ləˈbidoʊ/. In British English it is /lɪˈbiːdəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in libido?
Libido has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BEE). Broken into parts: luh · BEE · doh.
Is libido pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /lɪˈbiːdəʊ/ (lih-BEE-doh).