How to pronounce Sicilian
Say it like sih-SIL-ee-un. Sicilian has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SIL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Sicilian. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- sih
- SIL
- ee
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sicilian 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.
- SILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Sicilian
American and British speakers say Sicilian in essentially the same way: /sɪˈsɪliən/ in the US and /sɪˈsɪliən/ in the UK.
British respelling: sih-SIL-ee-un.
What does Sicilian mean?
- a resident of Sicily
- of or relating to or characteristic of Sicily or the people of Sicily“the Sicilian Mafia”
Words that rhyme with Sicilian
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Sicilian.
Questions about saying Sicilian
How do you pronounce Sicilian?
Say sih-SIL-ee-un. The American pronunciation is /sɪˈsɪliən/. In British English it is /sɪˈsɪliən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Sicilian?
Sicilian has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SIL). Broken into parts: sih · SIL · ee · un.
Do Americans and Brits say Sicilian the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /sɪˈsɪliən/ and the British form is /sɪˈsɪliən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.