How to pronounce wick
Say it like WIK. Wick 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 wick. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WIK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wick pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WIKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of wick
American and British speakers say wick in essentially the same way: /wɪk/ in the US and /wɪk/ in the UK.
British respelling: WIK.
What does wick mean?
- A braid or bundle of fiber or other porous material (now generally twisted or woven cotton) in a candle, kerosene heater, oil lamp, etc., that draws up a liquid fuel (such as melted tallow or wax, or oil) at one end, to be ignited at the other end to produce a flame.“Trim the wick fairly short, so that the flame does not smoke.”
- Synonym of wicking (“the material of which wicks (etymology 1, noun sense 1) are made”).
- Any piece of porous material that conveys liquid by capillary action; specifically (medicine), a strip of gauze placed in a wound, etc., to absorb fluids.
- A hamlet or village; also, a town.
- A farm; specifically, a dairy farm.
- Of a material (especially a textile): to convey or draw off (liquid) by capillary action.“The fabric wicks perspiration away from the body.”
- Of a material: to convey or draw off liquid by capillary action.
- Chiefly followed by through or up: of a liquid: to move by capillary action through a porous material.“The moisture slowly wicked through the wood.”
Words that rhyme with wick
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of wick.
Questions about saying wick
How do you pronounce wick?
Say WIK. The American pronunciation is /wɪk/. In British English it is /wɪk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wick?
Wick is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WIK.
Do Americans and Brits say wick the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /wɪk/ and the British form is /wɪk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.