How to pronounce shillelagh
Say it like shuh-LAY-lee. Shillelagh has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shillelagh. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- shuh
- LAY
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shillelagh pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- shuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- LAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of shillelagh
American and British speakers say shillelagh in essentially the same way: /ʃəˈleɪli/ in the US and /ʃəˈleɪli/ in the UK.
British respelling: shuh-LAY-lee.
What does shillelagh mean?
- A wooden (traditionally blackthorn (sloe) wood) club ending with a large knob.
- Any cudgel, whether or not of Irish origin.
Where does shillelagh come from?
From Irish sail éille (“shillelagh”, literally “cudgel of a thong”), altered to match the name of the village of Shillelagh (from Irish Síol Éalaigh (literally “descendants of Éalach”), because the forest near it provided wood from which su
Words that rhyme with shillelagh
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shillelagh.
Questions about saying shillelagh
How do you pronounce shillelagh?
Say shuh-LAY-lee. The American pronunciation is /ʃəˈleɪli/. In British English it is /ʃəˈleɪli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shillelagh?
Shillelagh has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LAY). Broken into parts: shuh · LAY · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say shillelagh the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ʃəˈleɪli/ and the British form is /ʃəˈleɪli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.