How to pronounce whey
Say it like WAY. Whey 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 whey. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WAY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Whey pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of whey
American and British speakers say whey in essentially the same way: /weɪ/ in the US and /weɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: WAY.
What does whey mean?
- The liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained in the process of making cheese.
- A shout for attention
- A shout of enthusiasm or delight
- Shouted when someone drops a glass or other crockery, especially in a pub.
Where does whey come from?
From Middle English whey, wheye, whei, from Old English hwǣġ, hwæiġ, hwæġ, hweġ (“whey”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwaij (“whey”) (cognate with Saterland Frisian Waai, Woaie, West Frisian waai, Dutch wei, Low German Wei, German Low German
Words that rhyme with whey
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of whey.
Words that sound like whey
Questions about saying whey
How do you pronounce whey?
Say WAY. The American pronunciation is /weɪ/. In British English it is /weɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in whey?
Whey is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WAY.
Do Americans and Brits say whey the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /weɪ/ and the British form is /weɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as whey?
Whey sounds the same as way, weigh in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.