How to pronounce vat
Say it like VAT. Vat is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce vat. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- VAT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Vat pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VATSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of vat
American and British speakers say vat in essentially the same way: /væt/ in the US and /væt/ in the UK.
British respelling: VAT.
What does vat mean?
- a tax levied on the difference between a commodity's price before taxes and its cost of production
- a large open vessel for holding or storing liquids
Where does vat come from?
Cognate with Scots fat, vat, vautt (“vat, cask, tub”), West Frisian fet, Dutch vat (“barrel, cask, vessel, vat”), German Fass (“barrel, keg, drum, cask, vat”), Danish fad (“saucer, dish”), Swedish fat (“dish, barrel, cask, vat”), Icelandic fat (“dish, saucer”).
Words that rhyme with vat
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of vat.
Questions about saying vat
How do you pronounce vat?
Say VAT. The American pronunciation is /væt/. In British English it is /væt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in vat?
Vat is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: VAT.
Do Americans and Brits say vat the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /væt/ and the British form is /væt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.