How to pronounce roulette
Say it like roo-LET. Roulette has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LET).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce roulette. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- roo
- LET
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Roulette pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- rooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- LETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of roulette
American and British speakers say roulette in essentially the same way: /ruˈlɛt/ in the US and /ruːˈlɛt/ in the UK.
British respelling: roo-LET.
What does roulette mean?
- A game of chance in which a small ball is made to move round rapidly on a circle divided off into numbered (usually red and black) spaces. When the ball stops, it indicates the result of a variety of wagers permitted by the game.
- An instance of risk-taking, especially when the downside exceeds the upside (contrary to the game of roulette where only the wager is lost).
- A small toothed wheel used by engravers to roll over a plate in order to produce rows of dots.
- To separate or decorate by incisions made with a small toothed wheel.
Where does roulette come from?
Borrowed from French roulette (“roulette, little wheel”).
Words that rhyme with roulette
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of roulette.
Questions about saying roulette
How do you pronounce roulette?
Say roo-LET. The American pronunciation is /ruˈlɛt/. In British English it is /ruːˈlɛt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in roulette?
Roulette has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LET). Broken into parts: roo · LET.
Do Americans and Brits say roulette the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ruˈlɛt/ and the British form is /ruːˈlɛt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.