How to pronounce milieu
Say it like mih-LYOO. Milieu has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LYOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce milieu. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- mih
- LYOO
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Milieu pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- mihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- LYOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of milieu
- The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 2, while British speakers stress syllable 1.
British respelling: MEE-lyur.
What does milieu mean?
- An environment or setting; a medium; environs
- A social environment or setting.
- A group of people with a common point of view; a social class or group.
Where does milieu come from?
Borrowed from French milieu (“physical or social environment; group of people with a common point of view”), from Middle French milieu, meilleu, mileu, from Old French milliu, meillieu, mileu (“middle”), from mi- (prefix meaning ‘half’) (fr
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with milieu
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of milieu.
Questions about saying milieu
How do you pronounce milieu?
Say mih-LYOO. The American pronunciation is /mɪˈlju/. In British English it is /ˈmiːljɜː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in milieu?
Milieu has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LYOO). Broken into parts: mih · LYOO.
Is milieu pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 2, while British speakers stress syllable 1. The British form is /ˈmiːljɜː/ (MEE-lyur).