How to pronounce polyphony
Say it like puh-LIF-uh-nee. Polyphony has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LIF).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce polyphony. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- puh
- LIF
- uh
- nee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Polyphony 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.
- LIFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- neeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of polyphony
American and British speakers say polyphony in essentially the same way: /pəˈlɪfəni/ in the US and /pəˈlɪfəni/ in the UK.
British respelling: puh-LIF-uh-nee.
What does polyphony mean?
- Musical texture consisting of several independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice (monophony) or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords (homophony).
- The quality of a text of being able to be read in more than one way.“the polyphony of a biblical passage”
Words that rhyme with polyphony
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of polyphony.
Questions about saying polyphony
How do you pronounce polyphony?
Say puh-LIF-uh-nee. The American pronunciation is /pəˈlɪfəni/. In British English it is /pəˈlɪfəni/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in polyphony?
Polyphony has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LIF). Broken into parts: puh · LIF · uh · nee.
Do Americans and Brits say polyphony the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pəˈlɪfəni/ and the British form is /pəˈlɪfəni/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.