How to pronounce picaresque
Say it like pih-kuh-RESK. Picaresque has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (RESK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce picaresque. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- pih
- kuh
- RESK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Picaresque 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.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- RESKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of picaresque
American and British speakers say picaresque in essentially the same way: /pɪkəˈrɛsk/ in the US and /pɪkəˈrɛsk/ in the UK.
British respelling: pih-kuh-RESK.
What does picaresque mean?
- Of or pertaining to adventurers or rogues.
- Characteristic of a genre of Spanish satiric novel dealing with the adventures of a roguish hero.
- A picaresque novel.
Where does picaresque come from?
From picaro (“adventurer, rogue”) + -esque (suffix meaning ‘in the style or manner of’ forming adjectives), modeled after Spanish picaresco (“in the style or manner of a picaro; picaresque”), from pícaro (“rogue”) + -esco (suffix forming a
Words that rhyme with picaresque
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of picaresque.
Questions about saying picaresque
How do you pronounce picaresque?
Say pih-kuh-RESK. The American pronunciation is /pɪkəˈrɛsk/. In British English it is /pɪkəˈrɛsk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in picaresque?
Picaresque has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (RESK). Broken into parts: pih · kuh · RESK.
Do Americans and Brits say picaresque the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pɪkəˈrɛsk/ and the British form is /pɪkəˈrɛsk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.