How to pronounce mumps
Say it like MUHMPS. Mumps is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce mumps. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MUHMPS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Mumps pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MUHMPSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of mumps
American and British speakers say mumps in essentially the same way: /mʌmps/ in the US and /mʌmps/ in the UK.
British respelling: MUHMPS.
What does mumps mean?
- A contagious disease caused by the Mumps virus of the genus Rubulavirus, mostly occurring in childhood, which causes swelling of glands in the face and neck.
- A gloomy or sullen silence.
- plural of mump How to pronounce mump
- third-person singular simple present indicative of mump How to pronounce mump
Where does mumps come from?
Circa 1600, from mump (“grimace”, noun), compare mump (verb), most likely referring to the painful difficulty in swallowing.
Questions about saying mumps
How do you pronounce mumps?
Say MUHMPS. The American pronunciation is /mʌmps/. In British English it is /mʌmps/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in mumps?
Mumps is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: MUHMPS.
Do Americans and Brits say mumps the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /mʌmps/ and the British form is /mʌmps/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.