How to pronounce obligate
Say it like AH-blih-gayt. Obligate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce obligate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AH
- blih
- gayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Obligate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- blihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- gaytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of obligate
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: OB-lih-gayt.
What does obligate mean?
- To bind, compel, constrain, or oblige by a social, legal, or moral tie.
- To cause to be grateful or indebted; to oblige.
- To commit (money, for example) in order to fulfill an obligation.
- Requiring a (specified) way of life, habitat, etc.
- Indispensable; essential; necessary; obligatory; mandatory; unavoidably invoked.“In addition to being the obligate food source for monarch caterpillars, milkweeds also provide abundant nectar for the adult butterflies.”
- An obligate organism.
Where does obligate come from?
First attested in 1533; borrowed from Latin obligātus, perfect passive participle of obligō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying obligate
How do you pronounce obligate?
Say AH-blih-gayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈɑblɪˌɡeɪt/. In British English it is /ˈɒblɪˌɡeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in obligate?
Obligate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AH). Broken into parts: AH · blih · gayt.
Is obligate 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 /ˈɒblɪˌɡeɪt/ (OB-lih-gayt).