How to pronounce sodium
Say it like SOH-dee-um. Sodium has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sodium. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SOH
- dee
- um
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sodium pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- deeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- umKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of sodium
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: SOH-dee-um.
What does sodium mean?
- a silvery soft waxy metallic element of the alkali metal group; occurs abundantly in natural compounds (especially in salt water); burns with a yellow flame and reacts violently in water; occurs in sea water and in the mineral halite (rock salt)
Where does sodium come from?
Coined by British chemist Humphry Davy in 1808, from soda + -ium.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with sodium
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sodium.
Questions about saying sodium
How do you pronounce sodium?
Say SOH-dee-um. The American pronunciation is /ˈsoʊdiəm/. In British English it is /ˈsəʊdiəm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sodium?
Sodium has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SOH). Broken into parts: SOH · dee · um.
Is sodium pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈsəʊdiəm/ (SOH-dee-um).