How to pronounce picture
Say it like PIK-cher. Picture 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 picture. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PIK
- cher
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tip: Keep the k sound: 'PIK-cher'. Pitcher is a different word.
Picture 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.
- cherKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of picture
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: PIK-chuh.
What does picture mean?
- a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface“they showed us the pictures of their wedding”“a movie is a series of images projected so rapidly that the eye integrates them”
- graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface“a small painting by Picasso”“he bought the painting as an investment”
- a clear and telling mental image“he described his mental picture of his assailant”“he had no clear picture of himself or his world”
- imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind“I can't see him on horseback!”“I can see what will happen”
- show in, or as in, a picture“This scene depicts country life”“the face of the child is rendered with much tenderness in this painting”
Where does picture come from?
Inherited from Middle English picture, from Latin pictūra (“the art of painting, a painting”), from pingō (“to paint”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with picture
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of picture.
Questions about saying picture
How do you pronounce picture?
Say PIK-cher. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɪktʃɚ/. In British English it is /ˈpɪktʃə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in picture?
Picture has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PIK). Broken into parts: PIK · cher.
Is picture 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 /ˈpɪktʃə/ (PIK-chuh).