How to pronounce plea
Say it like PLEE. Plea 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 plea. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PLEE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Plea pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PLEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of plea
American and British speakers say plea in essentially the same way: /pli/ in the US and /pliː/ in the UK.
British respelling: PLEE.
What does plea mean?
- a humble request for help from someone in authority
- (law) a defendant's answer by a factual matter (as distinguished from a demurrer)
- an answer indicating why a suit should be dismissed
Where does plea come from?
From Middle English ple, from Old French plait, plaid, from Medieval Latin placitum (“a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc., Latin an opinion, determination, prescription, order; literally, that which is pleasing, pleasure”), neuter of placi
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with plea
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of plea.
Questions about saying plea
How do you pronounce plea?
Say PLEE. The American pronunciation is /pli/. In British English it is /pliː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in plea?
Plea is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PLEE.
Do Americans and Brits say plea the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pli/ and the British form is /pliː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.