How to pronounce side
Say it like SYDE. Side 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 side. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SYDE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Side pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SYDESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of side
American and British speakers say side in essentially the same way: /saɪd/ in the US and /saɪd/ in the UK.
British respelling: SYDE.
What does side mean?
- a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location“they always sat on the right side of the church”“he never left my side”
- one of two or more contesting groups“the Confederate side was prepared to attack”
- either the left or right half of a body“he had a pain in his side”
- located on a side“side fences”“the side porch”
- take sides for or against“Who are you siding with?”“I'm siding against the current candidate”
Where does side come from?
The LGBTQ slang sense was coined by sex therapist and author Joe Kort in 2010 and popularized in 2013.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with side
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of side.
Questions about saying side
How do you pronounce side?
Say SYDE. The American pronunciation is /saɪd/. In British English it is /saɪd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in side?
Side is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SYDE.
Do Americans and Brits say side the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /saɪd/ and the British form is /saɪd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.