How to pronounce preliminary
Say it like prih-LIM-uh-ner-ee. Preliminary has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LIM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce preliminary. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- prih
- LIM
- uh
- ner
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Preliminary 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.
- LIMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nerGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of preliminary
American and British speakers say preliminary in essentially the same way: /prɪˈlɪməˌnɛri/ in the US and /prɪˈlɪmɪnəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: prih-LIM-ih-nuh-ree.
What does preliminary mean?
- denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important“a preliminary investigation”
- a minor match preceding the main event
- something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows“training is a necessary preliminary to employment”“drinks were the overture to dinner”
Where does preliminary come from?
Borrowed from New Latin praelīmināris, formed from prae- (“before”) + līmen (“threshold”) + -āris (adjectival suffix); compare Latin līmināris (“of or belonging to a threshold”).
Questions about saying preliminary
How do you pronounce preliminary?
Say prih-LIM-uh-ner-ee. The American pronunciation is /prɪˈlɪməˌnɛri/. In British English it is /prɪˈlɪmɪnəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in preliminary?
Preliminary has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LIM). Broken into parts: prih · LIM · uh · ner · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say preliminary the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /prɪˈlɪməˌnɛri/ and the British form is /prɪˈlɪmɪnəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.