How to pronounce religious
Say it like rih-LIJ-us. Religious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LIJ).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce religious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- rih
- LIJ
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Religious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- rihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- LIJSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of religious
American and British speakers say religious in essentially the same way: /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/ in the US and /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: rih-LIJ-us.
What does religious mean?
- concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church“religious texts”“a member of a religious order”
- having or showing belief in and reverence for a deity“a religious man”“religious attitude”
- of or relating to clergy bound by monastic vows“the religious or regular clergy conducts the service”
- a member of a religious order who is bound by vows of poverty and chastity and obedience
Where does religious come from?
From Middle English religiouse, religious, religius, religeous, from Anglo-Norman religieus, religius, from Old French religious, religieux, and their source, Latin religiōsus (“religious, superstitious, conscientious”), from religiō.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with religious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of religious.
Questions about saying religious
How do you pronounce religious?
Say rih-LIJ-us. The American pronunciation is /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/. In British English it is /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in religious?
Religious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LIJ). Broken into parts: rih · LIJ · us.
Do Americans and Brits say religious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/ and the British form is /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.