How to pronounce stale
Say it like STAYL. Stale is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce stale. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STAYL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Stale pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STAYLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of stale
American and British speakers say stale in essentially the same way: /steɪl/ in the US and /steɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: STAYL.
What does stale mean?
- No longer fresh, in reference to food, urine, straw, wounds, etc.
- No longer fresh, new, or interesting, in reference to ideas and immaterial things; clichéd, hackneyed, dated.
- Not new or recent; having been in place or in effect for some time.
- To make stale; to cause to go out of fashion or currency; to diminish the novelty or interest of, particularly by excessive exposure or consumption.
- To become stale; to grow odious from excessive exposure or consumption.
- To become stale; to grow unpleasant from age.
- Something stale; a loaf of bread or the like that is no longer fresh.
Where does stale come from?
From Middle English stale, from Old French estal (“fixed position, place”), but probably originally from Proto-Germanic *stāną (“to stand”): compare West Flemish stel in the same sense for ‘beer’ and ‘urine’.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with stale
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of stale.
Questions about saying stale
How do you pronounce stale?
Say STAYL. The American pronunciation is /steɪl/. In British English it is /steɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in stale?
Stale is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: STAYL.
Do Americans and Brits say stale the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /steɪl/ and the British form is /steɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.