How to pronounce liminal

Q: How do you pronounce liminal?

Say LIM-uh-nul. The American pronunciation is /ˈlɪmənəl/. In British English it is /ˈlɪmənəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.

Say it like LIM-uh-nul. Liminal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LIM).

VoiceSpeed

Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce liminal. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.

US American/ˈlɪmənəl/LIM-uh-nul

UK British/ˈlɪmənəl/LIM-uh-nul

Main stress
Lighter stress
Unstressed

Liminal pronunciation, sound by sound

Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.

LIMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
nulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.

American vs British pronunciation of liminal

American and British speakers say liminal in essentially the same way: /ˈlɪmənəl/ in the US and /ˈlɪmənəl/ in the UK.

British respelling: LIM-uh-nul.

What does liminal mean?

adjective

Of or pertaining to an entrance or threshold.
Pertaining to or in a state that is in-between or transitional between two (or more) other states, while belonging to neither; pertaining to or in a state such as to be neither definitively in a particular other state or category nor definitively outside it.
Of or pertaining to a beginning or first stage of a process.

Where does liminal come from?

From Latin līmināris, from līmen (“doorstep, threshold; doorway, entrance; beginning, commencement”) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship from nouns).

Words that rhyme with liminal

Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of liminal.

criminal

Questions about saying liminal

How do you pronounce liminal?

Say LIM-uh-nul. The American pronunciation is /ˈlɪmənəl/. In British English it is /ˈlɪmənəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.

How many syllables are in liminal?

Liminal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LIM). Broken into parts: LIM · uh · nul.

Do Americans and Brits say liminal the same way?

Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈlɪmənəl/ and the British form is /ˈlɪmənəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.