How to pronounce lugubrious
Say it like luh-GHYOO-bree-us. Lugubrious has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (GHYOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce lugubrious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- luh
- GHYOO
- bree
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Lugubrious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- luhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- GHYOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- breeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of lugubrious
American and British speakers say lugubrious in essentially the same way: /ləˈɡjubriəs/ in the US and /luːˈɡjuːbriəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: loo-GHYOO-bree-us.
What does lugubrious mean?
- Gloomy, mournful or dismal, especially to an exaggerated degree.“His client’s lugubrious expression tipped off the detective that something lurked beneath her optimistic words.”
Where does lugubrious come from?
Borrowed from Latin lūgubris (“mournful; gloomy”), with the suffix -ious.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with lugubrious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of lugubrious.
Questions about saying lugubrious
How do you pronounce lugubrious?
Say luh-GHYOO-bree-us. The American pronunciation is /ləˈɡjubriəs/. In British English it is /luːˈɡjuːbriəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in lugubrious?
Lugubrious has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (GHYOO). Broken into parts: luh · GHYOO · bree · us.
Do Americans and Brits say lugubrious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ləˈɡjubriəs/ and the British form is /luːˈɡjuːbriəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.