How to pronounce velvet
Say it like VEL-vut. Velvet has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VEL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce velvet. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- VEL
- vut
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Velvet pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- vutKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of velvet
American and British speakers say velvet in essentially the same way: /ˈvɛlvət/ in the US and /ˈvɛlvɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: VEL-vit.
What does velvet mean?
- a silky densely piled fabric with a plain back
- smooth and soft to sight or hearing or touch or taste
- resembling velvet in having a smooth soft surface
Where does velvet come from?
From Middle English velvet, velwet, veluet, from Old Occitan veluet, from Vulgar Latin *villutittus, diminutive of villūtus, from Latin villus (“shaggy hair, tuft of hair”).
Questions about saying velvet
How do you pronounce velvet?
Say VEL-vut. The American pronunciation is /ˈvɛlvət/. In British English it is /ˈvɛlvɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in velvet?
Velvet has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VEL). Broken into parts: VEL · vut.
Do Americans and Brits say velvet the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈvɛlvət/ and the British form is /ˈvɛlvɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.