How to pronounce moratorium
Say it like mor-uh-TOR-ee-um. Moratorium has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (TOR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce moratorium. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- mor
- uh
- TOR
- ee
- um
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Moratorium pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- morGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- TORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- umKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of moratorium
American and British speakers say moratorium in essentially the same way: /ˌmɔrəˈtɔriəm/ in the US and /ˌmɒrəˈtɔːrɪəm/ in the UK.
British respelling: mor-uh-TAW-rih-um.
What does moratorium mean?
- An authorization to a debtor, permitting temporary suspension of payments.
- A suspension of an ongoing activity.“Canada may put a moratorium on cloning for research.”
- A period of delay granted to someone, especially an adolescent or young adult, during which they are not yet required to take on adult obligations or make permanent commitments; an extended phase of identity exploration.
Where does moratorium come from?
New Latin from Late Latin morātōrium, noun use of the neuter of morātōrius (“moratory, delaying”), from Latin moror (“to delay”), from mora (“delay”), from Proto-Indo-European *mere (“to delay, hinder”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with moratorium
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of moratorium.
Questions about saying moratorium
How do you pronounce moratorium?
Say mor-uh-TOR-ee-um. The American pronunciation is /ˌmɔrəˈtɔriəm/. In British English it is /ˌmɒrəˈtɔːrɪəm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in moratorium?
Moratorium has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (TOR). Broken into parts: mor · uh · TOR · ee · um.
Do Americans and Brits say moratorium the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌmɔrəˈtɔriəm/ and the British form is /ˌmɒrəˈtɔːrɪəm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.