How to pronounce patsy
Say it like PAT-see. Patsy has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PAT).
- PAT
- see
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Patsy pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PATSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- seeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of patsy
American and British speakers say patsy in essentially the same way: /ˈpætsi/ in the US and /ˈpætsi/ in the UK.
British respelling: PAT-see.
What does patsy mean?
- A conspirator, secretly designated by co-conspirators to take full blame and punishment for a wrongdoing, particularly an assassination; a fall guy.
- To treat (a person) as a patsy or sucker; to pin the blame on.
- To mess around; to waste time.
Where does patsy come from?
Another possibility is the term derives from Patsy Bolivar, a character in an 1880s minstrel skit who was blamed whenever anything went wrong, in Broadway musical comedies, for example in The Errand Boy [1904] and Patsy in Politics [1907].
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying patsy
How do you pronounce patsy?
Say PAT-see. The American pronunciation is /ˈpætsi/. In British English it is /ˈpætsi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in patsy?
Patsy has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PAT). Broken into parts: PAT · see.
Do Americans and Brits say patsy the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpætsi/ and the British form is /ˈpætsi/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.