How to pronounce potassium
Say it like puh-TAS-ee-um. Potassium has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce potassium. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- puh
- TAS
- ee
- um
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Potassium 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.
- TASSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- umKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of potassium
- American English uses 4 syllables and British English 3.
British respelling: puh-TAS-eerm.
What does potassium mean?
- a light soft silver-white metallic element of the alkali metal group; oxidizes rapidly in air and reacts violently with water; is abundant in nature in combined forms occurring in sea water and in carnallite and kainite and sylvite
Where does potassium come from?
Coined by British chemist Humphry Davy in 1807, from potassa (a Latinized form of potash) + -ium.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- k
Questions about saying potassium
How do you pronounce potassium?
Say puh-TAS-ee-um. The American pronunciation is /pəˈtæsiəm/. In British English it is /pəˈtæsɪəm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in potassium?
Potassium has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAS). Broken into parts: puh · TAS · ee · um.
Is potassium pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. American English uses 4 syllables and British English 3. The British form is /pəˈtæsɪəm/ (puh-TAS-eerm).