How to pronounce vest
Say it like VEST. Vest 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 vest. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- VEST
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Vest pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VESTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of vest
American and British speakers say vest in essentially the same way: /vɛst/ in the US and /vɛst/ in the UK.
British respelling: VEST.
What does vest mean?
- a man's sleeveless garment worn underneath a coat
- a collarless men's undergarment for the upper part of the body
- provide with power and authority“They vested the council with special rights”
- place (authority, property, or rights) in the control of a person or group of persons“She vested her vast fortune in her two sons”
- become legally vested“The property vests in the trustees”
Where does vest come from?
Derived from French veste (“a vest, jacket”), from Latin vestis (“a garment, gown, robe, vestment, clothing, vesture”), from Proto-Indo-European *wéstis, from *wes- (“to be dressed”) (English wear).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with vest
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of vest.
Questions about saying vest
How do you pronounce vest?
Say VEST. The American pronunciation is /vɛst/. In British English it is /vɛst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in vest?
Vest is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: VEST.
Do Americans and Brits say vest the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /vɛst/ and the British form is /vɛst/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.