How to pronounce specious
Say it like SPEE-shus. Specious has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SPEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce specious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SPEE
- shus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Specious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SPEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- shusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of specious
American and British speakers say specious in essentially the same way: /ˈspiʃəs/ in the US and /ˈspiːʃəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: SPEE-shus.
What does specious mean?
- Seemingly well-reasoned, plausible or true, but actually fallacious.“This idea that we must see through what we have started is specious, however good it may sound.”
- Employing fallacious but deceptively plausible arguments; deceitful.
- Having an attractive appearance intended to generate a favorable response; deceptively attractive.
- Alternative form of speciose (“rich in species”).
Where does specious come from?
From Middle English speciose, specious, from Anglo-Norman specious, Middle French specieux, and their etymon Latin speciōsus (“good-looking”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with specious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of specious.
Questions about saying specious
How do you pronounce specious?
Say SPEE-shus. The American pronunciation is /ˈspiʃəs/. In British English it is /ˈspiːʃəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in specious?
Specious has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SPEE). Broken into parts: SPEE · shus.
Do Americans and Brits say specious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈspiʃəs/ and the British form is /ˈspiːʃəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.