How to pronounce territory
Say it like TER-ih-tor-ee. Territory has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce territory. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TER
- ih
- tor
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Territory pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- torGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of territory
American and British speakers say territory in essentially the same way: /ˈtɛrɪˌtɔri/ in the US and /ˈtɛrɪtəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: TER-ih-tuh-ree.
What does territory mean?
- a region marked off for administrative or other purposes
- an area of knowledge or interest“his questions covered a lot of territory”
- the geographical area under the jurisdiction of a sovereign state“American troops were stationed on Japanese soil”
Where does territory come from?
Inherited from Middle English territorie, from Latin territōrium.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying territory
How do you pronounce territory?
Say TER-ih-tor-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈtɛrɪˌtɔri/. In British English it is /ˈtɛrɪtəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in territory?
Territory has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TER). Broken into parts: TER · ih · tor · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say territory the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈtɛrɪˌtɔri/ and the British form is /ˈtɛrɪtəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.