How to pronounce plankton
Say it like PLANGK-tun. Plankton has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PLANGK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce plankton. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PLANGK
- tun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Plankton pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PLANGKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- tunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of plankton
American and British speakers say plankton in essentially the same way: /ˈplæŋktən/ in the US and /ˈplæŋktən/ in the UK.
British respelling: PLANGK-tun.
What does plankton mean?
- Organisms, especially small and microscopic ones, that drift in water.“Whales feed on tiny plankton drifting in the ocean.”
- A plankter, any single organism that drifts in water.
Where does plankton come from?
Borrowed from German Plankton, coined by German zoologist and marine biologist Victor Hensen.
Questions about saying plankton
How do you pronounce plankton?
Say PLANGK-tun. The American pronunciation is /ˈplæŋktən/. In British English it is /ˈplæŋktən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in plankton?
Plankton has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PLANGK). Broken into parts: PLANGK · tun.
Do Americans and Brits say plankton the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈplæŋktən/ and the British form is /ˈplæŋktən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.