How to pronounce selenium
Say it like sih-LEE-nee-um. Selenium has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce selenium. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- sih
- LEE
- nee
- um
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Selenium pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- sihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- LEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- neeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- umKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of selenium
American and British speakers say selenium in essentially the same way: /sɪˈliniəm/ in the US and /sɪˈliːniəm/ in the UK.
British respelling: sih-LEE-nee-um.
What does selenium mean?
- A nonmetallic chemical element (symbol Se) with an atomic number of 34, used mainly in glassmaking and pigments and as a semiconductor.
- An atom of this element.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with selenium
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of selenium.
Questions about saying selenium
How do you pronounce selenium?
Say sih-LEE-nee-um. The American pronunciation is /sɪˈliniəm/. In British English it is /sɪˈliːniəm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in selenium?
Selenium has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LEE). Broken into parts: sih · LEE · nee · um.
Do Americans and Brits say selenium the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /sɪˈliniəm/ and the British form is /sɪˈliːniəm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.