How to pronounce savage
Say it like SAV-uj. Savage has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SAV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce savage. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SAV
- uj
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Savage pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SAVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- ujKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of savage
American and British speakers say savage in essentially the same way: /ˈsævədʒ/ in the US and /ˈsævɪdʒ/ in the UK.
British respelling: SAV-ij.
What does savage mean?
- (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering“a barbarous crime”“brutal beatings”
- wild and menacing“a pack of feral dogs”
- without civilizing influences“barbarian invaders”“barbaric practices”
- a member of an uncivilized people
- a cruelly rapacious person
- attack brutally and fiercely
- criticize harshly or violently“The press savaged the new President”“The critics crucified the author for plagiarizing a famous passage”
Where does savage come from?
From Middle English savage, from Old French sauvage, salvage (“wild, untamed”), from Late Latin salvāticus, alteration of Latin silvāticus (“wild”, literally “of the woods”), from silva (“forest; grove”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying savage
How do you pronounce savage?
Say SAV-uj. The American pronunciation is /ˈsævədʒ/. In British English it is /ˈsævɪdʒ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in savage?
Savage has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SAV). Broken into parts: SAV · uj.
Do Americans and Brits say savage the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsævədʒ/ and the British form is /ˈsævɪdʒ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.