How to pronounce locomotion
Say it like loh-kuh-MOH-shun. Locomotion has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (MOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce locomotion. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- loh
- kuh
- MOH
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Locomotion pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- lohGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- MOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of locomotion
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: loh-kuh-MOH-shun.
What does locomotion mean?
- The ability to move from place to place, or the act of doing so.
- Self-powered motion by which a whole organism changes its location through walking, running, jumping, crawling, swimming, brachiating or flying.
- A dance, originally popular in the 1960s, in which the arms are used to mimic the motion of the connecting rods of a steam locomotive.
Where does locomotion come from?
From French locomotion, from Latin locō (literally “from a place”) (ablative of locus (“place”)) + mōtiōnem (“motion, a moving”) (nominative mōtio), from Latin movēre (“move; change, exchange, go in or out, quit”), from Proto-Indo-European
Words that rhyme with locomotion
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of locomotion.
Questions about saying locomotion
How do you pronounce locomotion?
Say loh-kuh-MOH-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˌloʊkəˈmoʊʃən/. In British English it is /ləʊkəˈməʊʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in locomotion?
Locomotion has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (MOH). Broken into parts: loh · kuh · MOH · shun.
Is locomotion 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 /ləʊkəˈməʊʃən/ (loh-kuh-MOH-shun).