How to pronounce rotate
Say it like ROH-tayt. Rotate has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ROH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce rotate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ROH
- tayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rotate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ROHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- taytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of rotate
- The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 1, while British speakers stress syllable 2.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: roh-TAYT.
What does rotate mean?
- turn on or around an axis or a center“The Earth revolves around the Sun”“The lamb roast rotates on a spit over the fire”
- exchange on a regular basis“We rotate the lead soprano every night”
- perform a job or duty on a rotating basis“Interns have to rotate for a few months”
Where does rotate come from?
Borrowed from Latin rotātus, perfect passive participle of rotō (“revolve”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from rota (“wheel”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying rotate
How do you pronounce rotate?
Say ROH-tayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈroʊˌteɪt/. In British English it is /rəʊˈteɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rotate?
Rotate has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ROH). Broken into parts: ROH · tayt.
Is rotate pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 1, while British speakers stress syllable 2. The British form is /rəʊˈteɪt/ (roh-TAYT).