How to pronounce quarantine
Say it like KWOR-un-teen. Quarantine has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KWOR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce quarantine. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KWOR
- un
- teen
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Quarantine pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KWORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- teenGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of quarantine
American and British speakers say quarantine in essentially the same way: /ˈkwɔrənˌtin/ in the US and /ˈkwɒrəntiːn/ in the UK.
British respelling: KWOR-un-teen.
What does quarantine mean?
- enforced isolation of patients suffering from a contagious disease in order to prevent the spread of disease
- isolation to prevent the spread of infectious disease
- place into enforced isolation, as for medical reasons“My dog was quarantined before he could live in England”
Where does quarantine come from?
In reference to French politics, calque of French quarantaine after edicts of Louis IX.
Questions about saying quarantine
How do you pronounce quarantine?
Say KWOR-un-teen. The American pronunciation is /ˈkwɔrənˌtin/. In British English it is /ˈkwɒrəntiːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in quarantine?
Quarantine has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KWOR). Broken into parts: KWOR · un · teen.
Do Americans and Brits say quarantine the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈkwɔrənˌtin/ and the British form is /ˈkwɒrəntiːn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.