How to pronounce lisp
Say it like LISP. Lisp 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 lisp. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LISP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Lisp pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LISPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of lisp
American and British speakers say lisp in essentially the same way: /lɪsp/ in the US and /lɪsp/ in the UK.
British respelling: LISP.
What does lisp mean?
- The act or a habit of lisping.“He used to have a terrible lisp before going to a speech therapist.”
- To pronounce the consonant ‘s’ imperfectly; to give ‘s’ and ‘z’ the sounds of ‘th’ (/θ/, /ð/). This is a speech impediment common among children.“Until the age of 10, Dominic would lisp, but this was fixed by a speech therapist.”
- To speak with imperfect articulation; to mispronounce, such as a child learning to talk.
Where does lisp come from?
From Middle English lispen, lipsen, wlispen, from Old English *wlispian (attested in āwlyspian (“to lisp”)), from Old English wlisp, wlips (“stammering, lisping”, adjective), from Proto-Germanic *wlispaz (“lisping”), from Proto-Indo-Europea
Words that rhyme with lisp
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of lisp.
Questions about saying lisp
How do you pronounce lisp?
Say LISP. The American pronunciation is /lɪsp/. In British English it is /lɪsp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in lisp?
Lisp is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LISP.
Do Americans and Brits say lisp the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /lɪsp/ and the British form is /lɪsp/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.