How to pronounce wive
Say it like WYVE. Wive 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 wive. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WYVE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wive pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WYVESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of wive
American and British speakers say wive in essentially the same way: /waɪv/ in the US and /waɪv/ in the UK.
British respelling: WYVE.
What does wive mean?
- To marry (a woman).
- To provide (someone) with a wife.
Where does wive come from?
From Middle English wiven, iwiven, from Old English wīfian, wīfiġan, ġewīfian (“to take a wife; marry”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with wive
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of wive.
Questions about saying wive
How do you pronounce wive?
Say WYVE. The American pronunciation is /waɪv/. In British English it is /waɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wive?
Wive is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WYVE.
Do Americans and Brits say wive the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /waɪv/ and the British form is /waɪv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.