How to pronounce velum
Say it like VEE-lum. Velum has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce velum. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- VEE
- lum
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Velum pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- lumKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of velum
American and British speakers say velum in essentially the same way: /ˈviləm/ in the US and /ˈviːləm/ in the UK.
British respelling: VEE-lum.
What does velum mean?
- The soft palate.
- A thin membrane partially covering the cluster of sporangia near the leaf base in quillworts and their extinct relatives.
- A veil-like membrane of immature mushrooms extending from the margin of the cap to the stem and is torn by growth, to reveal the gills.
Where does velum come from?
Borrowed from Latin vēlum (“a cloth, covering, awning, curtain, veil”).
Questions about saying velum
How do you pronounce velum?
Say VEE-lum. The American pronunciation is /ˈviləm/. In British English it is /ˈviːləm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in velum?
Velum has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VEE). Broken into parts: VEE · lum.
Do Americans and Brits say velum the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈviləm/ and the British form is /ˈviːləm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.