How to pronounce science
Say it like SY-uns. Science has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce science. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SY
- uns
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Science pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- unsKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of science
American and British speakers say science in essentially the same way: /ˈsaɪəns/ in the US and /ˈsaɪəns/ in the UK.
British respelling: SY-uns.
What does science mean?
- a particular branch of scientific knowledge“the science of genetics”
- ability to produce solutions in some problem domain“the skill of a well-trained boxer”“the sweet science of pugilism”
Where does science come from?
From Middle English science, scyence, borrowed from Old French science, escience, from Latin scientia (“knowledge”), from sciēns, the present participle stem of scire (“to know”).
Words that rhyme with science
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of science.
Questions about saying science
How do you pronounce science?
Say SY-uns. The American pronunciation is /ˈsaɪəns/. In British English it is /ˈsaɪəns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in science?
Science has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SY). Broken into parts: SY · uns.
Do Americans and Brits say science the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsaɪəns/ and the British form is /ˈsaɪəns/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.