How to pronounce nonce
Say it like NONS. Nonce 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 nonce. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NONS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Nonce pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NONSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of nonce
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: NONS.
What does nonce mean?
- A nonce word.“I had thought that the term was a nonce, but it seems as if it's been picked up by other authors.”
- A value constructed so as to be unique to a particular message in a stream, in order to prevent replay attacks.
- A pedophile.
- One-off; produced or created for a single occasion or use. Denoting something occurring once.
Where does nonce come from?
Inherited from Middle English nonse, nones, a rebracketing of Middle English to þen anes, for þen anes (to/for the once (i.e., the one occasion or instance)), from the dative singular neuter of þe.
Words that rhyme with nonce
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of nonce.
Questions about saying nonce
How do you pronounce nonce?
Say NONS. The American pronunciation is /nɑns/. In British English it is /nɒns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in nonce?
Nonce is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: NONS.
Is nonce pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /nɒns/ (NONS).