How to pronounce pacific
Say it like puh-SIF-ik. Pacific has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SIF).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce pacific. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- puh
- SIF
- ik
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pacific pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- puhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- SIFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ikKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of pacific
American and British speakers say pacific in essentially the same way: /pəˈsɪfɪk/ in the US and /pəˈsɪfɪk/ in the UK.
British respelling: puh-SIF-ik.
What does pacific mean?
- the largest ocean in the world
- relating to or bordering the Pacific Ocean“Pacific islands”
- disposed to peace or of a peaceful nature“the pacific temper seeks to settle disputes on grounds of justice rather than by force”“a quiet and peaceable person”
- promoting peace“the result of this pacific policy was that no troops were called up”
Where does pacific come from?
From Middle French pacifique.
Words that rhyme with pacific
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of pacific.
Questions about saying pacific
How do you pronounce pacific?
Say puh-SIF-ik. The American pronunciation is /pəˈsɪfɪk/. In British English it is /pəˈsɪfɪk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pacific?
Pacific has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SIF). Broken into parts: puh · SIF · ik.
Do Americans and Brits say pacific the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pəˈsɪfɪk/ and the British form is /pəˈsɪfɪk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.