How to pronounce poverty
Say it like POV-er-tee. Poverty has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce poverty. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- POV
- er
- tee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Poverty pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- POVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- teeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of poverty
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: POV-uh-tee.
What does poverty mean?
- the state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions
Where does poverty come from?
From Middle English poverte, from Old French poverté (Modern French pauvreté), from Latin paupertās, from pauper (“poor”) + -tas (“noun of state suffix”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying poverty
How do you pronounce poverty?
Say POV-er-tee. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɑvɚti/. In British English it is /ˈpɒvəti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in poverty?
Poverty has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POV). Broken into parts: POV · er · tee.
Is poverty pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈpɒvəti/ (POV-uh-tee).