How to pronounce middle
Say it like MID-ul. Middle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MID).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce middle. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MID
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Middle pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MIDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of middle
American and British speakers say middle in essentially the same way: /ˈmɪdəl/ in the US and /ˈmɪdəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: MID-ul.
What does middle mean?
- an area that is approximately central within some larger region“it is in the center of town”“they ran forward into the heart of the struggle”
- an intermediate part or section“A whole is that which has beginning, middle, and end”
- the middle area of the human torso (usually in front)“young American women believe that a bare midriff is fashionable”
- being neither at the beginning nor at the end in a series“adolescence is an awkward in-between age”“in a mediate position”
- equally distant from the extremes
- of a stage in the development of a language or literature between earlier and later stages“Middle English is the English language from about 1100 to 1500”“Middle Gaelic”
- put in the middle
Where does middle come from?
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Middel (“middle”), West Frisian mul (“middle”), Dutch middel (“means; medicine, cure”), German mittel (“middle”, adjective), Mittel (“means; medicament, remedy”, noun), Luxembourgish Mëttel (“means, method; me
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with middle
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of middle.
Questions about saying middle
How do you pronounce middle?
Say MID-ul. The American pronunciation is /ˈmɪdəl/. In British English it is /ˈmɪdəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in middle?
Middle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MID). Broken into parts: MID · ul.
Do Americans and Brits say middle the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈmɪdəl/ and the British form is /ˈmɪdəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.