How to pronounce ruinous
Say it like ROO-uh-nus. Ruinous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ROO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ruinous. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ROO
- uh
- nus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ruinous pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ROOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of ruinous
American and British speakers say ruinous in essentially the same way: /ˈruənəs/ in the US and /ˈruːənəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: ROO-uh-nus.
What does ruinous mean?
- Causing ruin; destructive, calamitous.
- Extremely costly; so expensive as to cause financial ruin.“They were forced to completely replace the roof at ruinous expense.”
- Characterized by ruin; ruined; dilapidated; as, an edifice, bridge, or wall in a ruinous state.
Where does ruinous come from?
From Middle English ruynous, from Old French ruinos, ruineus, from Latin ruīnōsus.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying ruinous
How do you pronounce ruinous?
Say ROO-uh-nus. The American pronunciation is /ˈruənəs/. In British English it is /ˈruːənəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ruinous?
Ruinous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ROO). Broken into parts: ROO · uh · nus.
Do Americans and Brits say ruinous the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈruənəs/ and the British form is /ˈruːənəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.