How to pronounce navigation
Say it like nav-uh-GAY-shun. Navigation has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (GAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce navigation. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- nav
- uh
- GAY
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Navigation pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- navGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- GAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of navigation
American and British speakers say navigation in essentially the same way: /ˌnævəˈɡeɪʃən/ in the US and /ˌnævɪˈɡeɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: nav-ih-GAY-shun.
What does navigation mean?
- the guidance of ships or airplanes from place to place
- ship traffic“the channel will be open to navigation as soon as the ice melts”
- the work of a sailor
Where does navigation come from?
Borrowed from Middle French navigation, from Latin nāvigātiōnem, accusative singular of nāvigātiō (“sailing, navigation”), from nāvigō (“sail”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with navigation
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of navigation.
Questions about saying navigation
How do you pronounce navigation?
Say nav-uh-GAY-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˌnævəˈɡeɪʃən/. In British English it is /ˌnævɪˈɡeɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in navigation?
Navigation has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (GAY). Broken into parts: nav · uh · GAY · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say navigation the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌnævəˈɡeɪʃən/ and the British form is /ˌnævɪˈɡeɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.