How to pronounce perceive
Say it like per-SEEV. Perceive has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SEEV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce perceive. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- per
- SEEV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Perceive pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- perKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- SEEVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of perceive
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: puh-SEEV.
What does perceive mean?
- to become aware of through the senses“I could perceive the ship coming over the horizon”
- become conscious of“She finally perceived the futility of her protest”
Where does perceive come from?
From Middle English perceyven, borrowed from Old French percevoir, perceveir, from Latin percipiō, past participle perceptus (“take hold of, obtain, receive, observe”), from per (“by, through”) + capiō (“to take”); see capable.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with perceive
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of perceive.
Questions about saying perceive
How do you pronounce perceive?
Say per-SEEV. The American pronunciation is /pɚˈsiv/. In British English it is /pəˈsiːv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in perceive?
Perceive has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SEEV). Broken into parts: per · SEEV.
Is perceive 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 /pəˈsiːv/ (puh-SEEV).