How to pronounce paltry
Say it like PAWL-tree. Paltry has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PAWL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce paltry. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PAWL
- tree
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Paltry pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PAWLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- treeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of paltry
American and British speakers say paltry in essentially the same way: /ˈpɔltri/ in the US and /ˈpɒltri/ in the UK.
British respelling: POL-tree.
What does paltry mean?
- Trashy, trivial, of little value.“This is indeed a paltry flyer about a silly product.”
- Of little monetary worth.“Could someone hope to survive on such a paltry income?”
- Despicable; contemptibly unimportant.“a paltry coward”
Where does paltry come from?
Cognate with Low German palterig (“ragged, torn”), dialectal German palterig (“paltry”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying paltry
How do you pronounce paltry?
Say PAWL-tree. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɔltri/. In British English it is /ˈpɒltri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in paltry?
Paltry has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PAWL). Broken into parts: PAWL · tree.
Do Americans and Brits say paltry the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpɔltri/ and the British form is /ˈpɒltri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.