How to pronounce officiate
Say it like uh-FISH-ee-ayt. Officiate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FISH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce officiate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- FISH
- ee
- ayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Officiate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- FISHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- aytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of officiate
American and British speakers say officiate in essentially the same way: /əˈfɪʃiˌeɪt/ in the US and /əˈfɪʃiˌeɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-FISH-ee-ayt.
What does officiate mean?
- To perform the functions of some office.“She officiated as registrar at the wedding.”
- To serve as umpire or referee.“This is the second time he has officiated at a cup-final.”
- A person appointed to office, an official.
Where does officiate come from?
The noun is derived from Medieval Latin officiātus (“monk in charge of a monastic office, official (start of 12th c., 14th in British sources)”), substantivized from the participle, see -ate (noun-forming suffix).
Words that rhyme with officiate
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of officiate.
Questions about saying officiate
How do you pronounce officiate?
Say uh-FISH-ee-ayt. The American pronunciation is /əˈfɪʃiˌeɪt/. In British English it is /əˈfɪʃiˌeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in officiate?
Officiate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FISH). Broken into parts: uh · FISH · ee · ayt.
Do Americans and Brits say officiate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈfɪʃiˌeɪt/ and the British form is /əˈfɪʃiˌeɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.