How to pronounce thieve
Say it like THEEV. Thieve 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 thieve. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- THEEV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Thieve pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- THEEVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of thieve
American and British speakers say thieve in essentially the same way: /θiv/ in the US and /θiːv/ in the UK.
British respelling: THEEV.
What does thieve mean?
- To commit theft.
Where does thieve come from?
From Middle English *theven [found in Middle English thevinge (“thieving”)], from Old English þēofian, ġeþēofian, ġeþīefian (“to thieve, steal”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with thieve
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of thieve.
Questions about saying thieve
How do you pronounce thieve?
Say THEEV. The American pronunciation is /θiv/. In British English it is /θiːv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in thieve?
Thieve is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: THEEV.
Do Americans and Brits say thieve the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /θiv/ and the British form is /θiːv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.