How to pronounce navvy
Say it like NAV-ee. Navvy has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NAV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce navvy. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NAV
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Navvy pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NAVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of navvy
American and British speakers say navvy in essentially the same way: /ˈnævi/ in the US and /ˈnævi/ in the UK.
British respelling: NAV-ee.
What does navvy mean?
- an unskilled laborer
Where does navvy come from?
Clipping of navigator, in reference to the navigation canals upon which these workers first toiled, + -y.
Words that rhyme with navvy
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of navvy.
Questions about saying navvy
How do you pronounce navvy?
Say NAV-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈnævi/. In British English it is /ˈnævi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in navvy?
Navvy has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NAV). Broken into parts: NAV · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say navvy the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈnævi/ and the British form is /ˈnævi/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.