How to pronounce wonky
Say it like WONG-kee. Wonky has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WONG).
- WONG
- kee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wonky pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WONGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- keeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of wonky
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: WONG-kee.
What does wonky mean?
- Lopsided, misaligned or off-centre.
- Feeble, shaky or rickety.
- Suffering from intermittent bugs.
- A subgenre of electronic music employing unstable rhythms, complex time signatures, and mid-range synths.
- Technically worded, in the style of jargon.
- Technical in nature, difficult for non-specialists to understand.
Where does wonky come from?
From English dialectal wanky, alteration of Middle English wankel (“unstable, shaky”), from Old English wancol (“unstable”), from Proto-West Germanic *wankul (“swaying, shaky, unstable”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with wonky
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of wonky.
Questions about saying wonky
How do you pronounce wonky?
Say WONG-kee. The American pronunciation is /ˈwɑŋki/. In British English it is /ˈwɒŋki/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wonky?
Wonky has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WONG). Broken into parts: WONG · kee.
Is wonky pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈwɒŋki/ (WONG-kee).