How to pronounce tick
Say it like TIK. Tick 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 tick. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TIK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tick pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TIKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of tick
American and British speakers say tick in essentially the same way: /tɪk/ in the US and /tɪk/ in the UK.
British respelling: TIK.
What does tick mean?
- a metallic tapping sound“he counted the ticks of the clock”
- any of two families of small parasitic arachnids with barbed proboscis; feed on blood of warm-blooded animals
- a mark indicating that something has been noted or completed etc.“as he called the role he put a check mark by each student's name”
- make a clicking or ticking sound“The clock ticked away”
- make a sound like a clock or a timer“the clocks were ticking”“the grandfather clock beat midnight”
- sew“tick a mattress”
Where does tick come from?
From Middle English tyke, teke, from Old English ticia (“parasitic animal, tick”), from Proto-West Germanic *tīkō, compare Dutch teek, German Zecke.
Words that rhyme with tick
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of tick.
Words that sound like tick
Questions about saying tick
How do you pronounce tick?
Say TIK. The American pronunciation is /tɪk/. In British English it is /tɪk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tick?
Tick is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TIK.
Do Americans and Brits say tick the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /tɪk/ and the British form is /tɪk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as tick?
Tick sounds the same as tic in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.