How to pronounce likelihood
Say it like LY-klee-huud. Likelihood has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce likelihood. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LY
- klee
- huud
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Likelihood pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- kleeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- huudGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
American vs British pronunciation of likelihood
American and British speakers say likelihood in essentially the same way: /ˈlaɪkliˌhʊd/ in the US and /ˈlaɪklɪˌhʊd/ in the UK.
British respelling: LY-klih-huud.
What does likelihood mean?
- the probability of a specified outcome
Where does likelihood come from?
From Middle English liklihode, equivalent to likely + -hood.
Questions about saying likelihood
How do you pronounce likelihood?
Say LY-klee-huud. The American pronunciation is /ˈlaɪkliˌhʊd/. In British English it is /ˈlaɪklɪˌhʊd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in likelihood?
Likelihood has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LY). Broken into parts: LY · klee · huud.
Do Americans and Brits say likelihood the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈlaɪkliˌhʊd/ and the British form is /ˈlaɪklɪˌhʊd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.