How to pronounce papyrus
Say it like puh-PY-rus. Papyrus has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce papyrus. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- puh
- PY
- rus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Papyrus 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.
- PYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- rusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of papyrus
American and British speakers say papyrus in essentially the same way: /pəˈpaɪrəs/ in the US and /pəˈpaɪrəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: puh-PY-rus.
What does papyrus mean?
- A plant (Cyperus papyrus) in the sedge family, native to the Nile river valley, paper reed.
- A material similar to paper made from the papyrus plant.
- A scroll or document written on papyrus.
Words that rhyme with papyrus
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of papyrus.
Questions about saying papyrus
How do you pronounce papyrus?
Say puh-PY-rus. The American pronunciation is /pəˈpaɪrəs/. In British English it is /pəˈpaɪrəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in papyrus?
Papyrus has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PY). Broken into parts: puh · PY · rus.
Do Americans and Brits say papyrus the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pəˈpaɪrəs/ and the British form is /pəˈpaɪrəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.