How to pronounce period
Say it like PIR-ee-ud. Period has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PIR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce period. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PIR
- ee
- ud
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Period pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- udKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of period
American and British speakers say period in essentially the same way: /ˈpɪriəd/ in the US and /ˈpɪəriəd/ in the UK.
British respelling: PEER-ree-ud.
What does period mean?
- an amount of time“a time period of 30 years”“hastened the period of time of his recovery”
- the interval taken to complete one cycle of a regularly repeating phenomenon
- (ice hockey) one of three divisions into which play is divided in hockey games
Words that rhyme with period
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of period.
Questions about saying period
How do you pronounce period?
Say PIR-ee-ud. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɪriəd/. In British English it is /ˈpɪəriəd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in period?
Period has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PIR). Broken into parts: PIR · ee · ud.
Do Americans and Brits say period the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpɪriəd/ and the British form is /ˈpɪəriəd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.