How to pronounce politeness
Say it like puh-LYTE-nus. Politeness has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LYTE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce politeness. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- puh
- LYTE
- nus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Politeness pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- puhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- LYTESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- nusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of politeness
American and British speakers say politeness in essentially the same way: /pəˈlaɪtnəs/ in the US and /pəˈlaɪtnəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: puh-LYTE-nus.
What does politeness mean?
- The quality of being polite.
- A polite act.
Where does politeness come from?
From polite + -ness.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with politeness
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of politeness.
Questions about saying politeness
How do you pronounce politeness?
Say puh-LYTE-nus. The American pronunciation is /pəˈlaɪtnəs/. In British English it is /pəˈlaɪtnəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in politeness?
Politeness has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LYTE). Broken into parts: puh · LYTE · nus.
Do Americans and Brits say politeness the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pəˈlaɪtnəs/ and the British form is /pəˈlaɪtnəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.