How to pronounce rudimentary
Say it like roo-duh-MEN-tuh-ree. Rudimentary has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (MEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce rudimentary. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- roo
- duh
- MEN
- tuh
- ree
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rudimentary pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- rooGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- duhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- MENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- tuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- reeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of rudimentary
American and British speakers say rudimentary in essentially the same way: /ˌrudəˈmɛntəri/ in the US and /ˌruːdəˈmɛntəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: roo-duh-MEN-tuh-ree.
What does rudimentary mean?
- Of or relating to one or more rudiments; of the nature of an early stage.
- Basic; minimal; with less than, or only the minimum, necessary.“I have only a rudimentary grasp of chemistry.”
- One of the rudimentary (adjective sense 1) mammae of boars.
Where does rudimentary come from?
From rudiment + -ary (adjectival suffix), perhaps after New Latin rudīmentārius, from Classical Latin rudīmentum (“first attempt; beginning”) + -ārius (adjectival suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with rudimentary
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of rudimentary.
Questions about saying rudimentary
How do you pronounce rudimentary?
Say roo-duh-MEN-tuh-ree. The American pronunciation is /ˌrudəˈmɛntəri/. In British English it is /ˌruːdəˈmɛntəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rudimentary?
Rudimentary has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (MEN). Broken into parts: roo · duh · MEN · tuh · ree.
Do Americans and Brits say rudimentary the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌrudəˈmɛntəri/ and the British form is /ˌruːdəˈmɛntəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.