How to pronounce prudence
Say it like PROO-duns. Prudence has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PROO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce prudence. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PROO
- duns
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Prudence pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PROOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- dunsKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of prudence
American and British speakers say prudence in essentially the same way: /ˈprudəns/ in the US and /ˈpruːdənts/ in the UK.
British respelling: PROO-dunts.
What does prudence mean?
- The quality or state of being prudent: circumspection and good judgment in knowing how best to act; (countable, archaic) an instance of this.
- Synonym of frugality (“the quality of avoiding unnecessary expenditure; economy, parsimony, thrift, thriftiness”).
Where does prudence come from?
From Middle English prudence (“discretion; foresight; knowledge; intelligence, wisdom; act of good judgment; wisdom to see what is virtuous”), from Anglo-Norman prudence, Middle French prudence, and Old French prudence (“common sense; wisdo
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying prudence
How do you pronounce prudence?
Say PROO-duns. The American pronunciation is /ˈprudəns/. In British English it is /ˈpruːdənts/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in prudence?
Prudence has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PROO). Broken into parts: PROO · duns.
Do Americans and Brits say prudence the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈprudəns/ and the British form is /ˈpruːdənts/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.