How to pronounce momentum
Say it like moh-MEN-tum. Momentum has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce momentum. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- moh
- MEN
- tum
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Momentum pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- mohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- MENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- tumKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of momentum
American and British speakers say momentum in essentially the same way: /moʊˈmɛntəm/ in the US and /məˈmɛntəm/ in the UK.
British respelling: muh-MEN-tum.
What does momentum mean?
- an impelling force or strength“the car's momentum carried it off the road”
- the product of a body's mass and its velocity“the momentum of the particles was deduced from meteoritic velocities”
Where does momentum come from?
Borrowed from Latin mōmentum.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying momentum
How do you pronounce momentum?
Say moh-MEN-tum. The American pronunciation is /moʊˈmɛntəm/. In British English it is /məˈmɛntəm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in momentum?
Momentum has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MEN). Broken into parts: moh · MEN · tum.
Do Americans and Brits say momentum the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /moʊˈmɛntəm/ and the British form is /məˈmɛntəm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.