How to pronounce seldom
Say it like SEL-dum. Seldom has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SEL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce seldom. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SEL
- dum
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Seldom pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- dumKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of seldom
American and British speakers say seldom in essentially the same way: /ˈsɛldəm/ in the US and /ˈsɛldəm/ in the UK.
British respelling: SEL-dum.
What does seldom mean?
- not often“we rarely met”
Where does seldom come from?
Cognate with Saterland Frisian säilden (“seldom”), West Frisian selden, komselden (“rare, seldom”), Dutch zelden, German selten, Danish sjælden, Norwegian Bokmål sjelden, Norwegian Nynorsk sjeldan, Swedish sällan, Faroese sjáldan, Icelandic sjaldan.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying seldom
How do you pronounce seldom?
Say SEL-dum. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɛldəm/. In British English it is /ˈsɛldəm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in seldom?
Seldom has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SEL). Broken into parts: SEL · dum.
Do Americans and Brits say seldom the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɛldəm/ and the British form is /ˈsɛldəm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.