How to pronounce percuss
Say it like per-KUHS. Percuss has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KUHS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce percuss. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- per
- KUHS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Percuss 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.
- KUHSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of percuss
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: puh-KUHS.
What does percuss mean?
- To strike; to hit; to knock; to give a blow to.“Solid bodies, if they be very softly percussed, give no sound.”
- To impact.“Falling on the roof of the caravan, the hailstones percussed noisily.”
- To attempt to pinpoint the location or other quality of something by tapping on an overlying surface.“The doctor percussed his chest to determine whether he had pneumonia.”
Where does percuss come from?
From Latin percussus, past participle of percutiō (“to strike, to beat”), from per (“through”) + quatiō (“to shake, to strike”).
Words that rhyme with percuss
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of percuss.
Questions about saying percuss
How do you pronounce percuss?
Say per-KUHS. The American pronunciation is /pɚˈkʌs/. In British English it is /pəˈkʌs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in percuss?
Percuss has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KUHS). Broken into parts: per · KUHS.
Is percuss 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 /pəˈkʌs/ (puh-KUHS).