How to pronounce precisely
Say it like prih-SY-slee. Precisely has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce precisely. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- prih
- SY
- slee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Precisely pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- prihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- SYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- sleeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of precisely
American and British speakers say precisely in essentially the same way: /prɪˈsaɪsli/ in the US and /prɪˈsaɪsli/ in the UK.
British respelling: prih-SY-slee.
What does precisely mean?
- indicating exactness or preciseness“he was doing precisely (or exactly) what she had told him to do”“it was just as he said--the jewel was gone”
- in a precise manner“she always expressed herself precisely”
- just as it should be“`Precisely, my lord,' he said”
Where does precisely come from?
From precise + -ly.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with precisely
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of precisely.
Questions about saying precisely
How do you pronounce precisely?
Say prih-SY-slee. The American pronunciation is /prɪˈsaɪsli/. In British English it is /prɪˈsaɪsli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in precisely?
Precisely has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SY). Broken into parts: prih · SY · slee.
Do Americans and Brits say precisely the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /prɪˈsaɪsli/ and the British form is /prɪˈsaɪsli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.