How to pronounce lick
Say it like LIK. Lick 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 lick. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LIK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Lick pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LIKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of lick
American and British speakers say lick in essentially the same way: /lɪk/ in the US and /lɪk/ in the UK.
British respelling: LIK.
What does lick mean?
- beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight“We licked the other team on Sunday!”
- pass the tongue over“the dog licked her hand”
- find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of“did you solve the problem?”“Work out your problems with the boss”
- a salt deposit that animals regularly lick
- touching with the tongue“the dog's laps were warm and wet”
- (boxing) a blow with the fist“I gave him a clout on his nose”
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with lick
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of lick.
Questions about saying lick
How do you pronounce lick?
Say LIK. The American pronunciation is /lɪk/. In British English it is /lɪk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in lick?
Lick is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LIK.
Do Americans and Brits say lick the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /lɪk/ and the British form is /lɪk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.