How to pronounce sea
Say it like SEE. Sea 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 sea. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SEE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sea pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of sea
American and British speakers say sea in essentially the same way: /si/ in the US and /siː/ in the UK.
British respelling: SEE.
What does sea mean?
- a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
- anything apparently limitless in quantity or volume
- turbulent water with swells of considerable size“heavy seas”
Where does sea come from?
Cognate with Yola zea, zee (“sea”), North Frisian See, sia, siie (“sea; lake”), Saterland Frisian See, Säi (“sea”), West Frisian see (“sea”), Cimbrian and Mòcheno sea (“lake”), Dutch zee (“sea”), German and German Low German See (“sea”), Li
Words that rhyme with sea
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sea.
Words that sound like sea
Questions about saying sea
How do you pronounce sea?
Say SEE. The American pronunciation is /si/. In British English it is /siː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sea?
Sea is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SEE.
Do Americans and Brits say sea the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /si/ and the British form is /siː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as sea?
Sea sounds the same as see, si in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.