How to pronounce mosquito
Say it like muh-SKEE-toh. Mosquito has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SKEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce mosquito. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- muh
- SKEE
- toh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Mosquito pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- muhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- SKEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- tohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of mosquito
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: muh-SKEE-toh.
What does mosquito mean?
- two-winged insect whose female has a long proboscis to pierce the skin and suck the blood of humans and animals
Where does mosquito come from?
Borrowed from Spanish mosquito (“gnat”), diminutive of mosca (“fly”), from Latin musca (“fly”), from Proto-Indo-European *mūs- (“fly, stinging fly, gnat”).
Words that rhyme with mosquito
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of mosquito.
Questions about saying mosquito
How do you pronounce mosquito?
Say muh-SKEE-toh. The American pronunciation is /məˈskitoʊ/. In British English it is /məˈskiːtəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in mosquito?
Mosquito has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SKEE). Broken into parts: muh · SKEE · toh.
Is mosquito pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /məˈskiːtəʊ/ (muh-SKEE-toh).