How to pronounce nanosecond
Say it like NAN-oh-sek-und. Nanosecond has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NAN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce nanosecond. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NAN
- oh
- sek
- und
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Nanosecond pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- sekGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- undKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of nanosecond
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: NAN-oh-sek-und.
What does nanosecond mean?
- An SI unit of time equal to 10⁻⁹ seconds. Symbol: ns
- An extremely short period of time; an instant.“I just know that the nanosecond I take my eyes off my phone, somebody's going to steal it.”
Where does nanosecond come from?
From nano- + second.
Questions about saying nanosecond
How do you pronounce nanosecond?
Say NAN-oh-sek-und. The American pronunciation is /ˈnænoʊˌsɛkənd/. In British English it is /ˈnænəʊˌsɛkənd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in nanosecond?
Nanosecond has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NAN). Broken into parts: NAN · oh · sek · und.
Is nanosecond 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 /ˈnænəʊˌsɛkənd/ (NAN-oh-sek-und).