How to pronounce macadamia
Say it like mak-uh-DAY-mee-uh. Macadamia has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (DAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce macadamia. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- mak
- uh
- DAY
- mee
- uh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Macadamia pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- makKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- DAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- meeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of macadamia
American and British speakers say macadamia in essentially the same way: /mækəˈdeɪmiə/ in the US and /mækəˈdeɪmiə/ in the UK.
British respelling: mak-uh-DAY-mee-uh.
What does macadamia mean?
- An evergreen tree, of the genus Macadamia, native to Australia and cultivated in Hawaii.
- The fruit of this tree; the macadamia nut.
Where does macadamia come from?
From the genus name Macadamia, coined by the German-Australian botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in 1857, in honor of John Macadam, whose surname is an alternative spelling of MacAdam, from Scottish Gaelic Mac Àdhaimh (“Adam's son”).
Words that rhyme with macadamia
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of macadamia.
Questions about saying macadamia
How do you pronounce macadamia?
Say mak-uh-DAY-mee-uh. The American pronunciation is /mækəˈdeɪmiə/. In British English it is /mækəˈdeɪmiə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in macadamia?
Macadamia has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (DAY). Broken into parts: mak · uh · DAY · mee · uh.
Do Americans and Brits say macadamia the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /mækəˈdeɪmiə/ and the British form is /mækəˈdeɪmiə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.