How to pronounce nest
Say it like NEST. Nest 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 nest. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NEST
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Nest pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NESTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of nest
American and British speakers say nest in essentially the same way: /nɛst/ in the US and /nɛst/ in the UK.
British respelling: NEST.
What does nest mean?
- a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
- a kind of gun emplacement“a machine-gun nest”“a nest of snipers”
- a cosy or secluded retreat
- inhabit a nest, usually after building“birds are nesting outside my window every Spring”
- fit together or fit inside“nested bowls”
- move or arrange oneself in a comfortable and cozy position“We cuddled against each other to keep warm”“The children snuggled into their sleeping bags”
Where does nest come from?
From Middle English nest, nist, nyst, from Old English nest, from Proto-West Germanic *nest, from Proto-Germanic *nestą, from Proto-Indo-European *nisdós (“nest”), literally "where [the bird] sits down", a compound of *ni (“down”) (whence a
Words that rhyme with nest
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of nest.
Questions about saying nest
How do you pronounce nest?
Say NEST. The American pronunciation is /nɛst/. In British English it is /nɛst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in nest?
Nest is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: NEST.
Do Americans and Brits say nest the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /nɛst/ and the British form is /nɛst/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.