How to pronounce obumbrate
Say it like o-BUHM-brayt. Obumbrate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BUHM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce obumbrate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- o
- BUHM
- brayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Obumbrate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- oKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- BUHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- braytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of obumbrate
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: o-BUHM-brayt.
What does obumbrate mean?
- To shade; to darken; to cloud.
- Lying under some projecting part, like the abdomen of certain spiders.
Where does obumbrate come from?
Borrowed from Latin obumbrātus, perfect passive participle of obumbrō (“to overshadow, cloud”), from ob + to shade; see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix).
Questions about saying obumbrate
How do you pronounce obumbrate?
Say o-BUHM-brayt. The American pronunciation is /ɑˈbəmˌbreɪt/. In British English it is /ɒˈbʌmbreɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in obumbrate?
Obumbrate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BUHM). Broken into parts: o · BUHM · brayt.
Is obumbrate 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 /ɒˈbʌmbreɪt/ (o-BUHM-brayt).