How to pronounce luminary
Say it like LOO-muh-ner-ee. Luminary has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce luminary. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LOO
- muh
- ner
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Luminary pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- muhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nerGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of luminary
American and British speakers say luminary in essentially the same way: /ˈluməˌnɛri/ in the US and /ˈluːmɪnəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: LOO-mih-nuh-ree.
What does luminary mean?
- One who is an inspiration to others; one who has achieved success in one's chosen field; a leading light.
- A body that gives light; especially, one of the heavenly bodies.
Where does luminary come from?
From Late Middle English lūminārī, lūminārīe (“lamp; source of spiritual light, example of holiness; glory”), borrowed from Old French luminarie (“lamp, lights, lighting; candles; brightness, illumination”), variant of luminaire (“light fix
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying luminary
How do you pronounce luminary?
Say LOO-muh-ner-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈluməˌnɛri/. In British English it is /ˈluːmɪnəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in luminary?
Luminary has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LOO). Broken into parts: LOO · muh · ner · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say luminary the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈluməˌnɛri/ and the British form is /ˈluːmɪnəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.