How to pronounce sectarian
Say it like sek-TER-ee-un. Sectarian has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sectarian. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- sek
- TER
- ee
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sectarian pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- sekKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- TERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of sectarian
American and British speakers say sectarian in essentially the same way: /sɛkˈtɛriən/ in the US and /sɛkˈtɛəriən/ in the UK.
British respelling: sek-TAIR-ree-un.
What does sectarian mean?
- A member of a sect.
- A bigot.
- Of, relating to, or partial to a sect.“We were discussing solutions to the sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shias.”
- Dogmatic or partisan.
- Parochial or narrow-minded.
Where does sectarian come from?
From Medieval Latin sectarius + -an.
Words that rhyme with sectarian
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sectarian.
- humanitarian
- vegetarian
- authoritarian
- librarian
- libertarian
- ovarian
- barbarian
- totalitarian
- agrarian
- veterinarian
Questions about saying sectarian
How do you pronounce sectarian?
Say sek-TER-ee-un. The American pronunciation is /sɛkˈtɛriən/. In British English it is /sɛkˈtɛəriən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sectarian?
Sectarian has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TER). Broken into parts: sek · TER · ee · un.
Do Americans and Brits say sectarian the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /sɛkˈtɛriən/ and the British form is /sɛkˈtɛəriən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.