How to pronounce taste
Say it like TAYST. Taste 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 taste. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TAYST
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Taste pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TAYSTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of taste
American and British speakers say taste in essentially the same way: /teɪst/ in the US and /teɪst/ in the UK.
British respelling: TAYST.
What does taste mean?
- the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus“the candy left him with a bad taste”“the melon had a delicious taste”
- a strong liking“my own preference is for good literature”“the Irish have a penchant for blarney”
- delicate discrimination (especially of aesthetic values)“arrogance and lack of taste contributed to his rapid success”“to ask at that particular time was the ultimate in bad taste”
- have flavor; taste of something
- perceive by the sense of taste“Can you taste the garlic?”
- take a sample of“Try these new crackers”“Sample the regional dishes”
Where does taste come from?
Displaced English smatch, from Middle English smacchen, smecchen, from Old English smæċċan (“to taste; to smack”); displaced also Middle English buriȝen, from Old English bierġan (“to taste”).
Words that rhyme with taste
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of taste.
Questions about saying taste
How do you pronounce taste?
Say TAYST. The American pronunciation is /teɪst/. In British English it is /teɪst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in taste?
Taste is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TAYST.
Do Americans and Brits say taste the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /teɪst/ and the British form is /teɪst/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.