How to pronounce wifely
Say it like WY-flee. Wifely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce wifely. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WY
- flee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wifely pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- fleeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of wifely
American and British speakers say wifely in essentially the same way: /ˈwaɪfli/ in the US and /ˈwaɪfli/ in the UK.
British respelling: WY-flee.
What does wifely mean?
- Of, befitting, pertaining to, or characteristic of a wife or wives.
Where does wifely come from?
From Middle English wifly, wyfly, from Old English wīflīc (“womanly, wifely”), from Proto-Germanic *wībalīkaz (“wifely”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- wifey
Questions about saying wifely
How do you pronounce wifely?
Say WY-flee. The American pronunciation is /ˈwaɪfli/. In British English it is /ˈwaɪfli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wifely?
Wifely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WY). Broken into parts: WY · flee.
Do Americans and Brits say wifely the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈwaɪfli/ and the British form is /ˈwaɪfli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.