How to pronounce plain
Say it like PLAYN. Plain is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce plain. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PLAYN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Plain pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PLAYNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of plain
American and British speakers say plain in essentially the same way: /pleɪn/ in the US and /pleɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: PLAYN.
What does plain mean?
- clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment“the effects of the drought are apparent to anyone who sees the parched fields”“evident hostility”
- not elaborate or elaborated; simple“plain food”“stuck to the plain facts”
- lacking patterns especially in color
- extensive tract of level open land“they emerged from the woods onto a vast open plain”“he longed for the fields of his youth”
- a basic knitting stitch made by putting the needle through the front of the stitch from the lefthand side
- express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness“My mother complains all day”“She has a lot to kick about”
Where does plain come from?
From Middle English pleyn, borrowed from Anglo-Norman pleyn, playn, Middle French plain, plein, and Old French plain, from Latin plānus (“flat, even, level, plain”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with plain
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of plain.
Words that sound like plain
Questions about saying plain
How do you pronounce plain?
Say PLAYN. The American pronunciation is /pleɪn/. In British English it is /pleɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in plain?
Plain is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PLAYN.
Do Americans and Brits say plain the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pleɪn/ and the British form is /pleɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as plain?
Plain sounds the same as plane in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.