How to pronounce series
Say it like SIR-eez. Series has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce series. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SIR
- eez
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Series pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eezKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of series
American and British speakers say series in essentially the same way: /ˈsɪriz/ in the US and /ˈsɪəriːz/ in the UK.
British respelling: SEER-reez.
What does series mean?
- similar things placed in order or happening one after another“they were investigating a series of bank robberies”
- a serialized set of programs“a comedy series”“the Masterworks concert series”
- a periodical that appears at scheduled times
Where does series come from?
Attested from the 1610s; borrowed from Latin seriēs, from serere (“to join together, bind”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to bind, put together, to line up”).
Questions about saying series
How do you pronounce series?
Say SIR-eez. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɪriz/. In British English it is /ˈsɪəriːz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in series?
Series has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIR). Broken into parts: SIR · eez.
Do Americans and Brits say series the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɪriz/ and the British form is /ˈsɪəriːz/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.