How to pronounce negligible
Say it like NEG-luh-juh-bul. Negligible has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NEG).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce negligible. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NEG
- luh
- juh
- bul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Negligible pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NEGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- luhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- juhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- bulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of negligible
American and British speakers say negligible in essentially the same way: /ˈnɛɡlədʒəbəl/ in the US and /ˈnɛɡlədʒəbəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: NEG-luh-juh-bul.
What does negligible mean?
- Able to be neglected, ignored or excluded from consideration; too small or unimportant to be of concern.“We found errors, but their effects were negligible.”
Where does negligible come from?
From negligence/negligent + -ible, as if from New Latin *negligibilis, from Latin neglegō (“to neglect”) + -ibilis (“-ible”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying negligible
How do you pronounce negligible?
Say NEG-luh-juh-bul. The American pronunciation is /ˈnɛɡlədʒəbəl/. In British English it is /ˈnɛɡlədʒəbəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in negligible?
Negligible has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NEG). Broken into parts: NEG · luh · juh · bul.
Do Americans and Brits say negligible the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈnɛɡlədʒəbəl/ and the British form is /ˈnɛɡlədʒəbəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.