How to pronounce toothpaste
Say it like TOOTH-payst. Toothpaste has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TOOTH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce toothpaste. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TOOTH
- payst
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Toothpaste pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TOOTHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- paystGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of toothpaste
American and British speakers say toothpaste in essentially the same way: /ˈtuθˌpeɪst/ in the US and /ˈtuːθpeɪst/ in the UK.
British respelling: TOOTH-payst.
What does toothpaste mean?
- A paste, normally used with a toothbrush, for cleaning the teeth.“fluoride toothpaste”
- To cover, or smear, with toothpaste.
Where does toothpaste come from?
From tooth + paste. Compare Saterland Frisian Tuskepasta (“toothpaste”), West Frisian toskpoetserguod (“toothpaste”), Dutch tandpasta (“toothpaste”), German Zahnpasta, Zahnpaste (“toothpaste”), Danish tandpasta (“toothpaste”), Swedish tandp
Questions about saying toothpaste
How do you pronounce toothpaste?
Say TOOTH-payst. The American pronunciation is /ˈtuθˌpeɪst/. In British English it is /ˈtuːθpeɪst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in toothpaste?
Toothpaste has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TOOTH). Broken into parts: TOOTH · payst.
Do Americans and Brits say toothpaste the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈtuθˌpeɪst/ and the British form is /ˈtuːθpeɪst/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.