How to pronounce sconce
Say it like SKONS. Sconce is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sconce. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SKONS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sconce pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SKONSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of sconce
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: SKONS.
What does sconce mean?
- A fixture for a light, which holds it and provides a screen against wind or against a naked flame or lightbulb.
- A candlestick (holder for a candle, especially a circular tube, with a brim, into which a candle is inserted), either with a handle for carrying, or with a bracket for attaching to a wall.
- A head or a skull.
- A poll tax; a mulct or fine.
- An act of sconcing (very similar to a fine at Cambridge University, though a sconce is the act of issuing a penalty rather than the penalty itself).
- During a meal or as part of a drinking game, to announce some (usually outrageous) deed such that anyone who has done it must drink (similar to I have never; commonly associated with crewdates; very similar to fining at Cambridge University).“I sconce anyone who has ever…”
Where does sconce come from?
From Middle English sconce, sconse (“candlestick or lantern (with screen)”), from Old French esconse (“lantern”), from Latin absconsus (“hidden”), perfect passive participle of abscondō (“hide”).
Words that rhyme with sconce
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sconce.
Questions about saying sconce
How do you pronounce sconce?
Say SKONS. The American pronunciation is /skɑns/. In British English it is /skɒns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sconce?
Sconce is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SKONS.
Is sconce pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /skɒns/ (SKONS).