How to pronounce transpire
Say it like tran-SPY-er. Transpire has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SPY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce transpire. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- tran
- SPY
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Transpire pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- tranKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- SPYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of transpire
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: tran-SPY-uh.
What does transpire mean?
- To give off (vapor, waste matter etc.); to exhale (an odor etc.).
- Of plants, to give off water and waste products through the stomata.
- To become known; to escape from secrecy.“It eventually transpired that the murder victim had been a notorious blackmailer.”
Where does transpire come from?
Borrowed from Middle French transpirer, from Medieval Latin transpirare (“to breathe through”), from Latin trans (“across”) spirare (“to breathe”).
Words that rhyme with transpire
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of transpire.
Questions about saying transpire
How do you pronounce transpire?
Say tran-SPY-er. The American pronunciation is /trænˈspaɪɚ/. In British English it is /trænˈspaɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in transpire?
Transpire has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SPY). Broken into parts: tran · SPY · er.
Is transpire pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /trænˈspaɪə/ (tran-SPY-uh).