How to pronounce plaid
Say it like PLAD. Plaid is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- PLAD
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Plaid pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PLADSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of plaid
American and British speakers say plaid in essentially the same way: /plæd/ in the US and /pleɪd/ in the UK.
British respelling: PLAYD.
What does plaid mean?
- A type of twilled woollen cloth, often with a tartan or chequered pattern.
- A length of such material used as a piece of clothing, formerly worn in the Scottish Highlands and other parts of northern Britain and remaining as an item of ceremonial dress worn by members of Scottish pipe bands.
- The typical chequered pattern of a plaid; tartan.
- Having a pattern or colors which resemble a Scottish tartan; checkered or marked with bars or stripes at right angles to one another.
Where does plaid come from?
Also compare Scottish Gaelic peall (“covering, veil, blanket”) << Latin pellis (“hide, covering”), but the OED finds the sound changes problematic.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with plaid
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of plaid.
Questions about saying plaid
How do you pronounce plaid?
Say PLAD. The American pronunciation is /plæd/. In British English it is /pleɪd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in plaid?
Plaid is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PLAD.
Do Americans and Brits say plaid the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /plæd/ and the British form is /pleɪd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.