How to pronounce radioactive
Say it like ray-dee-oh-AK-tiv. Radioactive has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the fourth one (AK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce radioactive. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ray
- dee
- oh
- AK
- tiv
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Radioactive pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- rayGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- deeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- AKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- tivKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of radioactive
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: ray-dih-oh-AK-tiv.
What does radioactive mean?
- exhibiting or caused by radioactivity“radioactive isotope”“radioactive decay”
Where does radioactive come from?
Coined by Pierre Curie and Marie Curie in 1898 as French radio-actif, equivalent to English radio- + active.
Words that rhyme with radioactive
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of radioactive.
- attractive
- interactive
- inactive
- reactive
- proactive
- unattractive
- retroactive
- refractive
- psychoactive
- hyperactive
Questions about saying radioactive
How do you pronounce radioactive?
Say ray-dee-oh-AK-tiv. The American pronunciation is /ˌreɪdioʊˈæktɪv/. In British English it is /ˌreɪdɪəʊˈæktɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in radioactive?
Radioactive has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the fourth one (AK). Broken into parts: ray · dee · oh · AK · tiv.
Is radioactive pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˌreɪdɪəʊˈæktɪv/ (ray-dih-oh-AK-tiv).