How to pronounce machete
Say it like muh-SHET-ee. Machete has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SHET).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce machete. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- muh
- SHET
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Machete pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- muhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- SHETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of machete
American and British speakers say machete in essentially the same way: /məˈʃɛˌti/ in the US and /məˈʃɛti/ in the UK.
British respelling: muh-SHET-ee.
What does machete mean?
- A sword-like tool used for cutting large plants with a chopping motion, or used as a weapon.
- A small stringed instrument from Madeira, Portugal, having a double bulged body, traditionally of wood, with a small rib and four metallic strings, sometimes attached by wooden pegs.
- To cut or chop with a machete.“After some hours of intense work, we had macheted a path through the jungle to the bank of the river.”
Where does machete come from?
From Spanish machete, diminutive of macho (“sledgehammer”), from Latin mattea, possibly from mactare (“slaughter in sacrifice”); cognate with Old French machier, French massue, English mace.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with machete
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of machete.
Questions about saying machete
How do you pronounce machete?
Say muh-SHET-ee. The American pronunciation is /məˈʃɛˌti/. In British English it is /məˈʃɛti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in machete?
Machete has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SHET). Broken into parts: muh · SHET · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say machete the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /məˈʃɛˌti/ and the British form is /məˈʃɛti/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.