How to pronounce virus
Say it like VY-rus. Virus has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce virus. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- VY
- rus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Virus pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- rusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of virus
American and British speakers say virus in essentially the same way: /ˈvaɪrəs/ in the US and /ˈvaɪrəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: VY-rus.
What does virus mean?
- (virology) ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts; many are pathogenic; a piece of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) wrapped in a thin coat of protein
- a harmful or corrupting agency“bigotry is a virus that must not be allowed to spread”“the virus of jealousy is latent in everyone”
- a software program capable of reproducing itself and usually capable of causing great harm to files or other programs on the same computer“a true virus cannot spread to another computer without human assistance”
Where does virus come from?
From Middle English virus, from Latin vīrus (“poison, slime, venom”), via rhotacism from Proto-Italic *weizos, from Proto-Indo-European *wisós (“fluidity, slime, poison”).
Words that rhyme with virus
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of virus.
Questions about saying virus
How do you pronounce virus?
Say VY-rus. The American pronunciation is /ˈvaɪrəs/. In British English it is /ˈvaɪrəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in virus?
Virus has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VY). Broken into parts: VY · rus.
Do Americans and Brits say virus the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈvaɪrəs/ and the British form is /ˈvaɪrəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.