How to pronounce obituary
Say it like oh-BICH-oo-er-ee. Obituary has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BICH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce obituary. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- oh
- BICH
- oo
- er
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Obituary pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- BICHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- erGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of obituary
American and British speakers say obituary in essentially the same way: /oʊˈbɪtʃuˌɛri/ in the US and /əˈbɪtʃuəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-BICH-oo-uh-ree.
What does obituary mean?
- A brief notice of a person's death, especially one published in a newspaper or other publication; also (obsolete), the section of a newspaper where notices of deaths are published.
- A brief biography of a person (especially one who is well-known) who has recently died, usually describing their life and achievements, particularly in the form of an article in a news publication or an item in a news broadcast.
- An announcement or description of the end of something.
- Relating to obituaries.“He is the paper's obituary editor.”
Where does obituary come from?
Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin obituārius (“obituary”) + English -ary (suffix denoting something relating to another thing or used in a place).
Questions about saying obituary
How do you pronounce obituary?
Say oh-BICH-oo-er-ee. The American pronunciation is /oʊˈbɪtʃuˌɛri/. In British English it is /əˈbɪtʃuəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in obituary?
Obituary has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BICH). Broken into parts: oh · BICH · oo · er · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say obituary the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /oʊˈbɪtʃuˌɛri/ and the British form is /əˈbɪtʃuəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.