How to pronounce television
Say it like TEL-uh-vizh-un. Television has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TEL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce television. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TEL
- uh
- vizh
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Television pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- vizhGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of television
American and British speakers say television in essentially the same way: /ˈtɛləˌvɪʒən/ in the US and /ˈtɛlɪˌvɪʒən/ in the UK.
British respelling: TEL-ih-vizh-un.
What does television mean?
- broadcasting visual images of stationary or moving objects“she is a star of screen and video”“Television is a medium because it is neither rare nor well done”
- a telecommunication system that transmits images of objects (stationary or moving) between distant points
- an electronic device that receives television signals and displays them on a screen“the British call a tv set a telly”
Where does television come from?
From tele- + vision; first attested in 1900, probably influenced by French télévision from Constantin Perskyi's 1900 paper that was unpublished but presented at a Paris conference.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that sound like television
Questions about saying television
How do you pronounce television?
Say TEL-uh-vizh-un. The American pronunciation is /ˈtɛləˌvɪʒən/. In British English it is /ˈtɛlɪˌvɪʒən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in television?
Television has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TEL). Broken into parts: TEL · uh · vizh · un.
Do Americans and Brits say television the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈtɛləˌvɪʒən/ and the British form is /ˈtɛlɪˌvɪʒən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as television?
Television sounds the same as tv in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.