How to pronounce sexagesimal
Say it like sek-suh-JES-ih-mul. Sexagesimal has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (JES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sexagesimal. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- sek
- suh
- JES
- ih
- mul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sexagesimal pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- sekGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- suhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- JESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- mulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of sexagesimal
American and British speakers say sexagesimal in essentially the same way: /ˌsɛksəˈdʒɛsɪməl/ in the US and /ˌsɛksəˈdʒɛsɪməl/ in the UK.
British respelling: sek-suh-JES-ih-mul.
What does sexagesimal mean?
- Of, related to, or based on the number sixty.“The common English divisions of time, longitude, and latitude are all computed using sexagesimal arithmetic.”
- A fraction involving division by 60; a sixtieth part of something.“Decimals are actually less convenient than sexagesimals for working with most common fractions.”
- A base-60 number.“Babylonian mathematics was computed in sexagesimals.”
Where does sexagesimal come from?
From Medieval Latin sexagesimalis, from sexāgēsimus (“sixtieth”) + -ālis (“-al”), from sexāgintā (“sixty”).
Words that rhyme with sexagesimal
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sexagesimal.
Questions about saying sexagesimal
How do you pronounce sexagesimal?
Say sek-suh-JES-ih-mul. The American pronunciation is /ˌsɛksəˈdʒɛsɪməl/. In British English it is /ˌsɛksəˈdʒɛsɪməl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sexagesimal?
Sexagesimal has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (JES). Broken into parts: sek · suh · JES · ih · mul.
Do Americans and Brits say sexagesimal the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌsɛksəˈdʒɛsɪməl/ and the British form is /ˌsɛksəˈdʒɛsɪməl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.