How to pronounce terminal
Say it like TUR-muh-nul. Terminal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce terminal. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TUR
- muh
- nul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Terminal pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- muhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of terminal
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: TUR-mih-nul.
What does terminal mean?
- station where transport vehicles load or unload passengers or goods
- a contact on an electrical device (such as a battery) at which electric current enters or leaves
- either extremity of something that has length“the end of the pier”“she knotted the end of the thread”
- of or relating to or situated at the ends of a delivery route“freight pickup is a terminal service”“terminal charges”
- relating to or occurring in a term or fixed period of time“terminal examinations”“terminal payments”
- being or situated at an end“the endmost pillar”“terminal buds on a branch”
Where does terminal come from?
Borrowed from Late Latin terminalis (“pertaining to a boundary or to the end, terminal, final”), from Latin terminus (“a bound, boundary, limit, end”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying terminal
How do you pronounce terminal?
Say TUR-muh-nul. The American pronunciation is /ˈtɝmənəl/. In British English it is /ˈtɜːmɪnəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in terminal?
Terminal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TUR). Broken into parts: TUR · muh · nul.
Is terminal 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 /ˈtɜːmɪnəl/ (TUR-mih-nul).