How to pronounce precocious
Say it like prih-KOH-shus. Precocious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KOH).
- prih
- KOH
- shus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Precocious 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.
- KOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- shusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of precocious
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: pruh-KOH-shus.
What does precocious mean?
- Characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity.“The precocious plant was already blooming flowers by day 4.”
- Exhibiting advanced skills and aptitudes at an abnormally early age.“The precocious child began reading the newspaper at age four.”
Where does precocious come from?
From Latin praecox (“premature, precocious, ripe before time, early ripe”), from praecoquō (“to ripen beforehand, ripen fully, also boil beforehand”), from prae (“before”) + coquō (“to cook, boil, ripen”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- prodigious
- tranty
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with precocious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of precocious.
Questions about saying precocious
How do you pronounce precocious?
Say prih-KOH-shus. The American pronunciation is /prɪˈkoʊʃəs/. In British English it is /prəˈkəʊʃəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in precocious?
Precocious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KOH). Broken into parts: prih · KOH · shus.
Is precocious pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /prəˈkəʊʃəs/ (pruh-KOH-shus).