How to pronounce motion
Say it like MOH-shun. Motion has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce motion. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MOH
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Motion pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of motion
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: MOH-shun.
What does motion mean?
- the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
- a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something
- a change of position that does not entail a change of location“the reflex motion of his eyebrows revealed his surprise”“movement is a sign of life”
- show, express or direct through movement“He gestured his desire to leave”
Where does motion come from?
Inherited from Middle English mocioun, mocion, from Anglo-Norman motion, Middle French motion, and their etymon Latin mōtiō (“movement, motion”), related to movēre, from Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh₁- (“to move”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with motion
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of motion.
Questions about saying motion
How do you pronounce motion?
Say MOH-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˈmoʊʃən/. In British English it is /ˈməʊʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in motion?
Motion has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MOH). Broken into parts: MOH · shun.
Is motion 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 /ˈməʊʃən/ (MOH-shun).