How to pronounce quail
Say it like KWAYL. Quail is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce quail. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KWAYL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Quail pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KWAYLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of quail
American and British speakers say quail in essentially the same way: /kweɪl/ in the US and /kweɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: KWAYL.
What does quail mean?
- To waste away; to fade, to wither.
- To lose heart or courage; to be daunted or fearful.
- Of courage, faith, etc.: to slacken, to give way.
- Any of various small game birds of the genera Coturnix, Anurophasis or Perdicula in the Old World family Phasianidae or of the New World family Odontophoridae.
- The meat from this bird eaten as food.
Where does quail come from?
From Middle English quaylen, from Middle Dutch queilen, quēlen, from Old Dutch *quelan, from Proto-West Germanic *kwelan, from Proto-Germanic *kwelaną (“to suffer”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with quail
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of quail.
Questions about saying quail
How do you pronounce quail?
Say KWAYL. The American pronunciation is /kweɪl/. In British English it is /kweɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in quail?
Quail is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KWAYL.
Do Americans and Brits say quail the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kweɪl/ and the British form is /kweɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.