How to pronounce tiddlywinks
Say it like TID-lee-wingks. Tiddlywinks has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TID).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce tiddlywinks. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TID
- lee
- wingks
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tiddlywinks pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TIDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- wingksGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of tiddlywinks
- American English uses 3 syllables and British English 4.
British respelling: TID-uh-lih-wingks.
What does tiddlywinks mean?
- A competitive game in which the objective is to flick as many small discs (each called a tiddlywink or wink) as possible into a container (the pot) by pressing on their edges with a larger disc (a shooter or squidger), causing them to jump up from the surface on which they are placed.
- Especially in the form to play tiddlywinks: a meaningless or unimportant activity.
- plural of tiddlywink
- third-person singular simple present indicative of tiddlywink
Where does tiddlywinks come from?
From tiddlywink + -s, possibly from tiddly (“(informal) little, tiny”) + wink (“blinking of one eye”), perhaps borrowed from tiddlywink, etymology 1 (“unlicensed beerhouse or pawnshop; game played using dominoes”, etc.).
Questions about saying tiddlywinks
How do you pronounce tiddlywinks?
Say TID-lee-wingks. The American pronunciation is /ˈtɪdliˌwɪŋks/. In British English it is /ˈtɪdəlɪwɪŋks/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tiddlywinks?
Tiddlywinks has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TID). Broken into parts: TID · lee · wingks.
Is tiddlywinks pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. American English uses 3 syllables and British English 4. The British form is /ˈtɪdəlɪwɪŋks/ (TID-uh-lih-wingks).