How to pronounce odious
Say it like OH-dee-us. Odious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce odious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- OH
- dee
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Odious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- OHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- deeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of odious
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: OH-dee-us.
What does odious mean?
- Arousing or meriting strong dislike, aversion, or intense displeasure.“Scrubbing the toilets in the bar at the end of a Saturday night is an odious task.”
Where does odious come from?
From Middle English odious, from Old French odieus, from Latin odiōsus, from odium (“hate”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- hated
- unsavory
- abominable
Questions about saying odious
How do you pronounce odious?
Say OH-dee-us. The American pronunciation is /ˈoʊdiəs/. In British English it is /ˈəʊdiəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in odious?
Odious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OH). Broken into parts: OH · dee · us.
Is odious pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈəʊdiəs/ (OH-dee-us).