How to pronounce spiral
Say it like SPY-rul. Spiral 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 spiral. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SPY
- rul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Spiral 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.
- rulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of spiral
American and British speakers say spiral in essentially the same way: /ˈspaɪrəl/ in the US and /ˈspaɪrəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: SPY-rul.
What does spiral mean?
- a plane curve traced by a point circling about the center but at increasing distances from the center
- a curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone and cuts the element at a constant angle
- a continuously accelerating change in the economy
- to wind or move in a spiral course“the muscles and nerves of his fine drawn body were coiling for action”“black smoke coiling up into the sky”
- form a spiral“The path spirals up the mountain”
- move in a spiral or zigzag course
- in the shape of a coil
Words that rhyme with spiral
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of spiral.
Questions about saying spiral
How do you pronounce spiral?
Say SPY-rul. The American pronunciation is /ˈspaɪrəl/. In British English it is /ˈspaɪrəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in spiral?
Spiral has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SPY). Broken into parts: SPY · rul.
Do Americans and Brits say spiral the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈspaɪrəl/ and the British form is /ˈspaɪrəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.