How to pronounce puberty
Say it like PYOO-ber-tee. Puberty has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PYOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce puberty. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PYOO
- ber
- tee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Puberty pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PYOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- berKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- teeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of puberty
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: PYOO-buh-tee.
What does puberty mean?
- A developmental phase brought about by the action of hormones as part of the maturing process. For humans, there are three in total.
- The process of sexual development that produces secondary sex characteristics and makes a person capable of reproducing sexually.
- The age at which a person is first capable of sexual reproduction.
Where does puberty come from?
From Middle English puberte, from Old French puberté, from Latin pūbertās (“the age of maturity, manhood”).
Questions about saying puberty
How do you pronounce puberty?
Say PYOO-ber-tee. The American pronunciation is /ˈpjubɚti/. In British English it is /ˈpjuːbəti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in puberty?
Puberty has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PYOO). Broken into parts: PYOO · ber · tee.
Is puberty pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈpjuːbəti/ (PYOO-buh-tee).