How to pronounce umbilical
Say it like um-BIL-ih-kul. Umbilical has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BIL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce umbilical. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- um
- BIL
- ih
- kul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Umbilical pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- umKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- BILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- kulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of umbilical
American and British speakers say umbilical in essentially the same way: /əmˈbɪlɪkəl/ in the US and /ʌmˈbɪlɪkəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: um-BIL-ih-kul.
What does umbilical mean?
- A cord connecting an astronaut to a spacecraft, or a craft to ground control prior to launch, etc.
- Of, or relating to, the navel (umbilicus) or the umbilical cord.
- Such that the curvatures of normal sections are all equal to each other.
Where does umbilical come from?
From Latin umbilicus (“navel”) + -al.
Questions about saying umbilical
How do you pronounce umbilical?
Say um-BIL-ih-kul. The American pronunciation is /əmˈbɪlɪkəl/. In British English it is /ʌmˈbɪlɪkəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in umbilical?
Umbilical has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BIL). Broken into parts: um · BIL · ih · kul.
Do Americans and Brits say umbilical the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əmˈbɪlɪkəl/ and the British form is /ʌmˈbɪlɪkəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.