How to pronounce shiv
Say it like SHIV. Shiv is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shiv. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHIV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shiv pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHIVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of shiv
American and British speakers say shiv in essentially the same way: /ʃɪv/ in the US and /ʃɪv/ in the UK.
British respelling: SHIV.
What does shiv mean?
- A knife, especially a makeshift one fashioned from something not normally used as a weapon (like a plastic spoon or a toothbrush).
- A particular woody by-product of processing flax or hemp.
- To stab (someone) with a shiv.
- To stab (someone) with anything not normally used as a stabbing weapon.
Where does shiv come from?
First attested 1915. From chive, chieve, chife, chiv (“knife”), from Romani chive, chiv, chivvomengro (“knife, dagger, blade”).
Words that rhyme with shiv
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shiv.
Questions about saying shiv
How do you pronounce shiv?
Say SHIV. The American pronunciation is /ʃɪv/. In British English it is /ʃɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shiv?
Shiv is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SHIV.
Do Americans and Brits say shiv the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ʃɪv/ and the British form is /ʃɪv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.