How to pronounce survey
Say it like SUR-vay. Survey has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce survey. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SUR
- vay
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Survey pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- vayGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of survey
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SUR-vay.
Other ways to say survey
Survey also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- ser-VAY /sɚˈveɪ/
What does survey mean?
- a detailed critical inspection
- short descriptive summary (of events)
- the act of looking or seeing or observing“he tried to get a better view of it”“his survey of the battlefield was limited”
- consider in a comprehensive way“He appraised the situation carefully before acting”
- look over carefully or inspect“He surveyed his new classmates”
- keep under surveillance“The police had been following him for weeks but they could not prove his involvement in the bombing”
Where does survey come from?
From Middle English surveyen, from Old French sourveoir, surveer (“to oversee”), from sour-, sur- (“over”) + veoir, veeir (“to see”), from Latin videre.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying survey
How do you pronounce survey?
Say SUR-vay. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɝˌveɪ/. In British English it is /ˈsɜːˌveɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in survey?
Survey has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SUR). Broken into parts: SUR · vay.
Is survey 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 /ˈsɜːˌveɪ/ (SUR-vay).