How to pronounce whiskey
Say it like WIS-kee. Whiskey has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WIS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce whiskey. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WIS
- kee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Whiskey pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WISSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- keeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of whiskey
American and British speakers say whiskey in essentially the same way: /ˈwɪski/ in the US and /ˈwɪski/ in the UK.
British respelling: WIS-kee.
What does whiskey mean?
- a liquor made from fermented mash of grain
Where does whiskey come from?
Variant of usque, abbreviation of usquebaugh, from Irish uisce beatha, calque of Medieval Latin aqua vītae (“water of life”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with whiskey
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of whiskey.
Words that sound like whiskey
Questions about saying whiskey
How do you pronounce whiskey?
Say WIS-kee. The American pronunciation is /ˈwɪski/. In British English it is /ˈwɪski/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in whiskey?
Whiskey has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WIS). Broken into parts: WIS · kee.
Do Americans and Brits say whiskey the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈwɪski/ and the British form is /ˈwɪski/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as whiskey?
Whiskey sounds the same as whisky in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.