How to pronounce pencil
Say it like PEN-sul. Pencil has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce pencil. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PEN
- sul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pencil pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- sulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of pencil
American and British speakers say pencil in essentially the same way: /ˈpɛnsəl/ in the US and /ˈpɛnsəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: PEN-sul.
What does pencil mean?
- a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood
- graphite (or a similar substance) used in such a way as to be a medium of communication“the words were scribbled in pencil”“this artist's favorite medium is pencil”
- a figure formed by a set of straight lines or light rays meeting at a point
- write, draw, or trace with a pencil“he penciled a figure”
Where does pencil come from?
From Anglo-Norman and Old French pincil (see the variant pincel, which gave rise to Modern French pinceau (“paintbrush”)), from Latin pēnicillum, diminutive of pēniculus (“brush”), itself a diminutive of pēnis (“tail; penis”).
Words that rhyme with pencil
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of pencil.
Questions about saying pencil
How do you pronounce pencil?
Say PEN-sul. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɛnsəl/. In British English it is /ˈpɛnsəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pencil?
Pencil has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PEN). Broken into parts: PEN · sul.
Do Americans and Brits say pencil the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpɛnsəl/ and the British form is /ˈpɛnsəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.