How to pronounce manslaughter
Say it like MAN-slaw-ter. Manslaughter has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce manslaughter. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MAN
- slaw
- ter
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Manslaughter pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- slawGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- terKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of manslaughter
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: MAN-slaw-tuh.
What does manslaughter mean?
- The unlawful killing of a human, either in negligence or incidentally to the commission of some unlawful act, but without specific malice, or upon a sudden excitement of anger; considered less culpable than murder, but more culpable than justifiable homicide.
Where does manslaughter come from?
From Middle English manslaȝter, manslauter, equivalent to man + slaughter, or taken as an adaptation of Old English mansliht (“murder; killing of a person”), from mann (“person”) + sliht (“killing”), see manslaught.
Questions about saying manslaughter
How do you pronounce manslaughter?
Say MAN-slaw-ter. The American pronunciation is /ˈmænˌslɔtɚ/. In British English it is /ˈmænˌslɔːtə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in manslaughter?
Manslaughter has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAN). Broken into parts: MAN · slaw · ter.
Is manslaughter pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈmænˌslɔːtə/ (MAN-slaw-tuh).