How to pronounce punctilious
Say it like pungk-TIL-ee-us. Punctilious has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TIL).
- pungk
- TIL
- ee
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Punctilious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- pungkKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- TILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of punctilious
American and British speakers say punctilious in essentially the same way: /pəŋkˈtɪliəs/ in the US and /pʌŋkˈtɪliəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: pungk-TIL-ee-us.
What does punctilious mean?
- Strictly attentive to detail; meticulous or fastidious, particularly to codes or conventions.“With a punctilious slap of the gloves, the duel was now inevitable.”
- Precise or scrupulous; finicky or nitpicky.
Where does punctilious come from?
From punctilio (“fine point in exactness of conduct”) + -ous.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with punctilious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of punctilious.
Questions about saying punctilious
How do you pronounce punctilious?
Say pungk-TIL-ee-us. The American pronunciation is /pəŋkˈtɪliəs/. In British English it is /pʌŋkˈtɪliəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in punctilious?
Punctilious has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TIL). Broken into parts: pungk · TIL · ee · us.
Do Americans and Brits say punctilious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pəŋkˈtɪliəs/ and the British form is /pʌŋkˈtɪliəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.