How to pronounce preventive
Say it like prih-VEN-tiv. Preventive has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce preventive. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- prih
- VEN
- tiv
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Preventive 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.
- VENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- tivKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of preventive
American and British speakers say preventive in essentially the same way: /prɪˈvɛntɪv/ in the US and /prɪˈvɛntɪv/ in the UK.
British respelling: prih-VEN-tiv.
What does preventive mean?
- preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease“preventive medicine”“vaccines are prophylactic”
- tending to prevent or hinder
- remedy that prevents or slows the course of an illness or disease“the doctor recommended several preventatives”
- any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome
- an agent or device intended to prevent conception
Where does preventive come from?
Borrowed from New Latin praeventīvus.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with preventive
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of preventive.
Questions about saying preventive
How do you pronounce preventive?
Say prih-VEN-tiv. The American pronunciation is /prɪˈvɛntɪv/. In British English it is /prɪˈvɛntɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in preventive?
Preventive has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VEN). Broken into parts: prih · VEN · tiv.
Do Americans and Brits say preventive the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /prɪˈvɛntɪv/ and the British form is /prɪˈvɛntɪv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.