How to pronounce piggyback
Say it like PIG-ee-bak. Piggyback has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PIG).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce piggyback. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PIG
- ee
- bak
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Piggyback pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PIGSay 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.
- bakGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of piggyback
American and British speakers say piggyback in essentially the same way: /ˈpɪɡiˌbæk/ in the US and /ˈpɪɡiˌbæk/ in the UK.
British respelling: PIG-ee-bak.
What does piggyback mean?
- On somebody's back or shoulders.“give someone a piggyback ride”
- Pertaining to transportation of goods where one transportation unit is carried on the back of something else. For example, a truck on a train.
- Attached or appended to something larger or more important.“piggyback legislation”
- On somebody's back or shoulders.“to ride piggyback”
- To carry (someone) on the back or shoulders.
- To ride on someone's back or shoulders.
- To attach or append something to another (usually larger) object or event.“They tried to piggyback that proposal on the rivers and harbors bill.”
Where does piggyback come from?
A corruption of pickaback, itself a corruption of pick-pack, like a pack.
Questions about saying piggyback
How do you pronounce piggyback?
Say PIG-ee-bak. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɪɡiˌbæk/. In British English it is /ˈpɪɡiˌbæk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in piggyback?
Piggyback has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PIG). Broken into parts: PIG · ee · bak.
Do Americans and Brits say piggyback the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpɪɡiˌbæk/ and the British form is /ˈpɪɡiˌbæk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.