How to pronounce sign
Say it like SYNE. Sign 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 sign. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SYNE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sign pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SYNESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of sign
American and British speakers say sign in essentially the same way: /saɪn/ in the US and /saɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: SYNE.
What does sign mean?
- a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)“he showed signs of strain”“they welcomed the signs of spring”
- a public display of a message“he posted signs in all the shop windows”
- any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message“signals from the boat suddenly stopped”
- mark with one's signature; write one's name (on)“She signed the letter and sent it off”“Please sign here”
- approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation“All parties ratified the peace treaty”“Have you signed your contract yet?”
- be engaged by a written agreement“He signed to play the casino on Dec. 18”“The soprano signed to sing the new opera”
- used of the language of the deaf
Where does sign come from?
From Middle English signe, sygne, syng, seine, sine, syne, from Old English seġn (“sign; mark; token”) and Old French signe, seing (“sign; mark; signature”); both from Latin signum (“a mark; sign; token”); root uncertain.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with sign
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sign.
Words that sound like sign
Questions about saying sign
How do you pronounce sign?
Say SYNE. The American pronunciation is /saɪn/. In British English it is /saɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sign?
Sign is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SYNE.
Do Americans and Brits say sign the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /saɪn/ and the British form is /saɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as sign?
Sign sounds the same as sine in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.