How to pronounce peel
Say it like PEEL. Peel is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce peel. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PEEL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Peel pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PEELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of peel
American and British speakers say peel in essentially the same way: /pil/ in the US and /piːl/ in the UK.
British respelling: PEEL.
What does peel mean?
- strip the skin off“pare apples”
- come off in flakes or thin small pieces“The paint in my house is peeling off”
- get undressed“please don't undress in front of everybody!”“She strips in front of strangers every night for a living”
- British politician (1788-1850)
- the rind of a fruit or vegetable
Where does peel come from?
From Middle English pelen, from Old English pilian and Old French peler, pellier; both from Latin pilō, pilāre (“to remove hair from, depilate”), from pilus (“hair”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with peel
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of peel.
Questions about saying peel
How do you pronounce peel?
Say PEEL. The American pronunciation is /pil/. In British English it is /piːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in peel?
Peel is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PEEL.
Do Americans and Brits say peel the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pil/ and the British form is /piːl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.