How to pronounce spiky
Say it like SPY-kee. Spiky has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SPY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce spiky. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SPY
- kee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Spiky pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SPYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- keeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of spiky
American and British speakers say spiky in essentially the same way: /ˈspaɪki/ in the US and /ˈspaɪki/ in the UK.
British respelling: SPY-kee.
What does spiky mean?
- Of a plant: producing spikes (“ears (as of corn); inflorescences in which sessile flowers are arranged on unbranched elongated axes”).
- Of a plant part: resembling a spike of a plant (see above).
- Having one or more spikes; spiny.
- Resembling spikes: erect and having sharp points; spikelike.
- Of a person or their nature: difficult to deal with; abrasive, hostile, unfriendly.“a spiky personality”
Where does spiky come from?
From spike (“kind of inflorescence in which sessile flowers are arranged on an unbranched elongated axis”) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense “having the quality of”).
Words that rhyme with spiky
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of spiky.
Questions about saying spiky
How do you pronounce spiky?
Say SPY-kee. The American pronunciation is /ˈspaɪki/. In British English it is /ˈspaɪki/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in spiky?
Spiky has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SPY). Broken into parts: SPY · kee.
Do Americans and Brits say spiky the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈspaɪki/ and the British form is /ˈspaɪki/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.