How to pronounce treacherous
Say it like TRECH-uh-rus. Treacherous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TRECH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce treacherous. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TRECH
- uh
- rus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Treacherous pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TRECHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- rusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of treacherous
American and British speakers say treacherous in essentially the same way: /ˈtrɛtʃərəs/ in the US and /ˈtrɛtʃərəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: TRECH-uh-rus.
What does treacherous mean?
- Exhibiting treachery.
- Deceitful; inclined to betray.
- Unreliable; dangerous.“a treacherous mountain trail”
Where does treacherous come from?
From Old French trecheros, tricheros (“deceitful”), equivalent to treacher + -ous.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying treacherous
How do you pronounce treacherous?
Say TRECH-uh-rus. The American pronunciation is /ˈtrɛtʃərəs/. In British English it is /ˈtrɛtʃərəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in treacherous?
Treacherous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TRECH). Broken into parts: TRECH · uh · rus.
Do Americans and Brits say treacherous the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈtrɛtʃərəs/ and the British form is /ˈtrɛtʃərəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.