How to pronounce magnitude
Say it like MAG-nuh-tood. Magnitude has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAG).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce magnitude. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MAG
- nuh
- tood
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Magnitude pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MAGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- nuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- toodGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of magnitude
- British speakers add a light "y" sound before the "oo" (as in "tyoon" for tune).
British respelling: MAG-nih-tyood.
What does magnitude mean?
- the property of relative size or extent (whether large or small)“they tried to predict the magnitude of the explosion”“about the magnitude of a small pea”
- a number assigned to the ratio of two quantities; two quantities are of the same order of magnitude if one is less than 10 times as large as the other; the number of magnitudes that the quantities differ is specified to within a power of 10
- relative importance“a problem of the first magnitude”
Where does magnitude come from?
From Latin magnitūdō (“greatness, size”), magnus + -tūdō.
Questions about saying magnitude
How do you pronounce magnitude?
Say MAG-nuh-tood. The American pronunciation is /ˈmæɡnəˌtud/. In British English it is /ˈmæɡnɪˌtjuːd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in magnitude?
Magnitude has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAG). Broken into parts: MAG · nuh · tood.
Is magnitude pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. British speakers add a light "y" sound before the "oo" (as in "tyoon" for tune). The British form is /ˈmæɡnɪˌtjuːd/ (MAG-nih-tyood).