How to pronounce penumbra
Say it like pih-NUHM-bruh. Penumbra has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NUHM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce penumbra. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- pih
- NUHM
- bruh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Penumbra pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- pihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- NUHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- bruhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of penumbra
American and British speakers say penumbra in essentially the same way: /pɪˈnʌmbrə/ in the US and /pɪˈnʌmbrə/ in the UK.
British respelling: pih-NUHM-bruh.
What does penumbra mean?
- A partially shaded area around the edges of a shadow, especially an eclipse.
- A region around the edge of a sunspot, darker than the sun's surface but lighter than the middle of the sunspot.
- An area of uncertainty or intermediacy between two mutually exclusive states or categories.
Where does penumbra come from?
From New Latin pēnumbra, from Latin paene (“almost”) + umbra (“shadow”).
Questions about saying penumbra
How do you pronounce penumbra?
Say pih-NUHM-bruh. The American pronunciation is /pɪˈnʌmbrə/. In British English it is /pɪˈnʌmbrə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in penumbra?
Penumbra has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NUHM). Broken into parts: pih · NUHM · bruh.
Do Americans and Brits say penumbra the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pɪˈnʌmbrə/ and the British form is /pɪˈnʌmbrə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.