How to pronounce partial
Say it like PAR-shul. Partial has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PAR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce partial. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PAR
- shul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Partial pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PARSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- shulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of partial
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: PAH-shul.
What does partial mean?
- being or affecting only a part; not total“a partial description of the suspect”“partial collapse”
- showing favoritism
- (followed by of or to) having a strong preference or liking for“fond of chocolate”“partial to horror movies”
- the derivative of a function of two or more variables with respect to a single variable while the other variables are considered to be constant
- a harmonic with a frequency that is a multiple of the fundamental frequency
Where does partial come from?
From Middle English partiall, parcial, from Old French parcial (“biased or particular”), from Late Latin partiālis (“of or pertaining to a part”), from Latin pars (“part”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with partial
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of partial.
Questions about saying partial
How do you pronounce partial?
Say PAR-shul. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɑrʃəl/. In British English it is /ˈpɑːʃəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in partial?
Partial has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PAR). Broken into parts: PAR · shul.
Is partial pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈpɑːʃəl/ (PAH-shul).