How to pronounce trifle
Say it like TRY-ful. Trifle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TRY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce trifle. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TRY
- ful
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Trifle pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TRYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- fulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of trifle
American and British speakers say trifle in essentially the same way: /ˈtraɪfəl/ in the US and /ˈtraɪfəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: TRY-ful.
What does trifle mean?
- An English dessert made from a mixture of thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, jelly and whipped cream.
- Anything that is of little importance or worth.
- An insignificant amount of money.
- To deal with something as if it were of little importance or worth.“You must not trifle with her affections.”
- To act, speak, or otherwise behave with jest.
- To inconsequentially toy with something.
Where does trifle come from?
From Middle English trifle, trifel, triful, trefle, truyfle, trufful, from Old French trufle (“mockery”), a byform of trufe, truffe (“deception”), of uncertain origin.
Words that rhyme with trifle
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of trifle.
Questions about saying trifle
How do you pronounce trifle?
Say TRY-ful. The American pronunciation is /ˈtraɪfəl/. In British English it is /ˈtraɪfəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in trifle?
Trifle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TRY). Broken into parts: TRY · ful.
Do Americans and Brits say trifle the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈtraɪfəl/ and the British form is /ˈtraɪfəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.