How to pronounce transverse
Say it like tranz-VURS. Transverse has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VURS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce transverse. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- tranz
- VURS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Transverse pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- tranzKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- VURSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of transverse
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: tranz-VURS.
What does transverse mean?
- Situated or lying across; side to side, relative to some defined "forward" direction; perpendicular or slanted relative to the "forward" direction; identified with movement across areas.
- Made at right angles to the long axis of the body.
- (of an intersection) Not tangent, so that a nondegenerate angle is formed between the two things intersecting. (For the general definition, see Transversality (mathematics) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia )
- Anything that is transverse or athwart, such as a road or a ship's web frame.
- The longer, or transverse, axis of an ellipse.
- To lie or run across; to cross.
- To traverse or thwart.
- To overturn.
Where does transverse come from?
Late Middle English, from Latin trānsversus (“turned across; going or lying across or crosswise”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with transverse
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of transverse.
Questions about saying transverse
How do you pronounce transverse?
Say tranz-VURS. The American pronunciation is /trænzˈvɝs/. In British English it is /trænzˈvɜːs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in transverse?
Transverse has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VURS). Broken into parts: tranz · VURS.
Is transverse 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 /trænzˈvɜːs/ (tranz-VURS).