How to pronounce pickaxe
Say it like PIK-aks. Pickaxe has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PIK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce pickaxe. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PIK
- aks
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pickaxe pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PIKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- aksGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of pickaxe
American and British speakers say pickaxe in essentially the same way: /ˈpɪˌkæks/ in the US and /ˈpɪˌkæks/ in the UK.
British respelling: PIK-aks.
What does pickaxe mean?
- A heavy iron tool with a wooden handle; one end of the head is pointed, the other has a chisel edge.“He was mining stone using a pickaxe.”
- To use a pickaxe.
Where does pickaxe come from?
Inherited from Middle English pykeaxe, pecaxe, pyke exe (“pickaxe”), an alteration (due to folk etymology association with pick and axe) of Middle English pikeyse, pikeys, pykois, from Anglo-Norman *pikeis, Old French picois, pecois, from L
Questions about saying pickaxe
How do you pronounce pickaxe?
Say PIK-aks. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɪˌkæks/. In British English it is /ˈpɪˌkæks/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pickaxe?
Pickaxe has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PIK). Broken into parts: PIK · aks.
Do Americans and Brits say pickaxe the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpɪˌkæks/ and the British form is /ˈpɪˌkæks/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.