How to pronounce spermaceti
Say it like sper-muh-SEE-tee. Spermaceti has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (SEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce spermaceti. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- sper
- muh
- SEE
- tee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Spermaceti pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- sperKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- muhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- SEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- teeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of spermaceti
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: spur-muh-SEE-tee.
What does spermaceti mean?
- A wax obtained from the head of sperm whales and used to make cosmetics, etc; humans separate it out from sperm oil.
Where does spermaceti come from?
From Latin sperma (“sperm”) + Latin cētī (“of the whale”, genitive of cētus).
Words that rhyme with spermaceti
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of spermaceti.
Questions about saying spermaceti
How do you pronounce spermaceti?
Say sper-muh-SEE-tee. The American pronunciation is /spɚməˈsiti/. In British English it is /ˌspɜːməˈsiːti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in spermaceti?
Spermaceti has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (SEE). Broken into parts: sper · muh · SEE · tee.
Is spermaceti pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˌspɜːməˈsiːti/ (spur-muh-SEE-tee).