How to pronounce transcendental
Say it like tran-sun-DEN-tul. Transcendental has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (DEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce transcendental. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- tran
- sun
- DEN
- tul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Transcendental pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- tranGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- sunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- DENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- tulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of transcendental
American and British speakers say transcendental in essentially the same way: /ˌtrænsənˈdɛntəl/ in the US and /ˌtræntsɛnˈdɛntəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: trant-sen-DEN-tul.
What does transcendental mean?
- Synonym of transcendent (“surpassing usual limits; excelling; extraordinary”).
- In the philosophy of Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E.): synonym of transcendent (“transcending or extending beyond a single category”); also, synonym of metaphysical (“of or relating to the basic structure of reality”).
- In the philosophy of Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) or similar philosophies: concerned with the a priori or intuitive basis of knowledge, independent of experience.
- A thing which is transcendental (all adjective senses).
- Any one of the transcendental properties of being, especially beauty, goodness, and truth, which are respectively the ideals of art, religion, and science, and thus the principal subjects of the study of aesthetics, ethics, and logic.
- An element of an extension field, an extension field, a function, or a number which is not algebraic.
Where does transcendental come from?
The noun is derived from the adjective.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with transcendental
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of transcendental.
- mental
- environmental
- fundamental
- experimental
- gentle
- rental
- continental
- instrumental
- accidental
- developmental
Questions about saying transcendental
How do you pronounce transcendental?
Say tran-sun-DEN-tul. The American pronunciation is /ˌtrænsənˈdɛntəl/. In British English it is /ˌtræntsɛnˈdɛntəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in transcendental?
Transcendental has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (DEN). Broken into parts: tran · sun · DEN · tul.
Do Americans and Brits say transcendental the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌtrænsənˈdɛntəl/ and the British form is /ˌtræntsɛnˈdɛntəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.