How to pronounce populous
Say it like POP-yuh-lus. Populous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POP).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce populous. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- POP
- yuh
- lus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Populous pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- POPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- yuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- lusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of populous
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: POP-yuh-lus.
What does populous mean?
- Having a large population.“China is the most populous country in the world.”
- Spoken by a large number of people.“Chinese is the most populous language.”
- Densely populated.“The Nile delta is a populous region.”
Where does populous come from?
First used in English in the mid 15th century; from Latin populosus (“full of people, populous”).
Words that rhyme with populous
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of populous.
Words that sound like populous
Questions about saying populous
How do you pronounce populous?
Say POP-yuh-lus. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɑpjələs/. In British English it is /ˈpɒpjʊləs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in populous?
Populous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POP). Broken into parts: POP · yuh · lus.
Is populous pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈpɒpjʊləs/ (POP-yuh-lus).
What words sound the same as populous?
Populous sounds the same as populace in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.