How to pronounce vegetarian
Say it like vej-uh-TER-ee-un. Vegetarian has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (TER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce vegetarian. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- vej
- uh
- TER
- ee
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Vegetarian pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- vejGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- TERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of vegetarian
American and British speakers say vegetarian in essentially the same way: /ˌvɛdʒəˈtɛˌriən/ in the US and /ˌvɛdʒɪˈtɛəriən/ in the UK.
British respelling: vej-ih-TAIR-ee-un.
What does vegetarian mean?
- eater of fruits and grains and nuts; someone who eats no meat or fish or (often) any animal products
Where does vegetarian come from?
From vegetable + -arian; popularized following the foundation of the British Vegetarian Society in 1847.
Words that rhyme with vegetarian
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of vegetarian.
- humanitarian
- authoritarian
- librarian
- libertarian
- ovarian
- barbarian
- sectarian
- totalitarian
- agrarian
- veterinarian
Questions about saying vegetarian
How do you pronounce vegetarian?
Say vej-uh-TER-ee-un. The American pronunciation is /ˌvɛdʒəˈtɛˌriən/. In British English it is /ˌvɛdʒɪˈtɛəriən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in vegetarian?
Vegetarian has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (TER). Broken into parts: vej · uh · TER · ee · un.
Do Americans and Brits say vegetarian the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌvɛdʒəˈtɛˌriən/ and the British form is /ˌvɛdʒɪˈtɛəriən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.