One of the biggest challenges facing people who are trying to learn English as a second language is the thought that, there are so many hard English words to pronounce!
What makes a word hard to pronounce? Often times the
difficult words to pronounce for non-native English speakers are those that are spelled completely different from how they are pronounced.
Not all English words are pronounced phonetically. When a word is pronounced phonetically, it is pronounced how it is spelled. Take the word “know”, if it was pronounced phonetically, the “k” would be spoken. However, the “k” is not spoken and this makes “know” one of the English
language’s tricky pronunciation words.
Take a look at the
English vocabulary words below. These are hard words for kids to say, even if they are native English speakers, and that can trip up adults as well. So don’t be ashamed to look them up and practice the correct way to pronounce them.
1. Accede
How is it pronounced?
“ak-SEED”, emphasis on the second syllable
What does it mean?
To accede means to give your consent or approval to someone else’s actions. It can also mean that you agree with the opinions of a group.
2. Alias
How is it pronounced?
“AY-lee-iss”, emphasis on the first syllable
What does it mean?
An alias is an assumed name or identity.
3. Anathema
How is it pronounced?
“un-NATH-uh-muh”, emphasis on the second syllable
What does it mean?
This means that you dislike something or someone intensely
4. Anemone
How is it pronounced?
“uh-NEH-muh-nee”, emphasis on the second syllable
What does it mean?
Properly called a “sea anemone”, this is a marine animal that lives on reefs and ocean floors. It’s a sedentary animal that attaches itself to a particular area and doesn’t move, that many people think looks like a flower.
There is also a type of flowering land plants that are called anemones.
5. Antarctic
How is it pronounced?
“ant-AHRK-tik”
What does it mean?
The Antarctic is simply the South Pole.
6. Brewery
How is it pronounced?
“BROO-uh-ree”, emphasis on the first syllable.
What does it mean?
Why is it that words that have something to do with drinking are such hard words to say when drunk? This three syllable word is used for bars specializing in beer. They often brew their own beers.
7. Camaraderie
How is it pronounced?
“kah-muh-RAH-duh-ree”, emphasis on the third syllable
What does it mean?
This is the feeling of warmth and familiarity you get when around a group of trusted friends.
8. Cavalry
How is it pronounced?
“KAV-uhl-ree”, emphasis on the first syllable.
What does it mean?
Traditionally, the cavalry were soldiers on horseback. Now, cavalry is usually used to mean someone or something who offers help when you really need it.
9. Choir
How is it pronounced?
“kwah-yuhr”
What does it mean?
A choir is a group of singers. Traditionally, choirs sang religious songs during church services.
10. Colonel
How is it pronounced?
“ker-nul”
What does it mean?
A military officer.
11. Comfortable
How is it pronounced?
“KUHM-fer-tuh-buh”, with emphasis on the first syllable
What does it mean?
If you are comfortable, you are relaxed and at ease.
12. Defibrillator
How is it pronounced?
“dee-FIB-ruh-ley-ter”, emphasis on the second syllable
What does it mean?
If you watch a lot of medical TV shows, you might have seen this. It’s that device, with two paddles attached to wires that are held to someone’s chest to deliver a shock that is supposed to help restart your heart.
13. Deteriorate
How is it pronounced?
“dih-TEER-ee-uh-reyt”
What does it mean?
When someone deteriorates their condition grows worse. This can also be used to talk about a situation you find yourself in. Basically, things are getting bad.
14. Draught
How is it pronounced?
“draft”
What does it mean?
An alcoholic beverage, usually traditional kept in a keg. Like draught beer.
15. Epitome
How is it pronounced?
“ih-PIT-uh-mee”, emphasis on the second syllable
What does it mean?
Someone or something that is the perfect example of a quality or of a type.
16. Espouse
How is it pronounced?
“ih-SPOWZ”, emphasis on the second syllable
What does it mean?
When you follow or support a particular idea. Usually you are vocal and proud about your support.
17. Espresso
How is it pronounced?
“eh-SPRES-oh”
What does it mean?
When you order an “espresso” you are asking for a type of strong Italian coffee.
18. Explicit
How is it pronounced?
“ik-SLIS-it”, with emphasis on the second syllable
What does it mean?
This is not one of those hard words to say with a lisp, as you are supposed to sound like your lisping slightly. When you are explicit about something, you state it clearly and in complete detail.
19. Exponentially
How is it pronounced?
“ek-spoh-NEN-shuh-lee”, emphasis on the third syllable
What does it mean?
This is an adverb that means something is increasing rapidly.
20. Ignominious
How is it pronounced?
“ig-nuh-MIN-ee-uhs”, emphasis on the third syllable
What does it mean?
This is usually used as an adverb to describe and action that is considered disgraceful or dishonorable.
21. Isthmus
How is it pronounced?
“is-muss”
What does it mean?
This is the name of a geographical feature. An isthmus is a narrow piece of land that is located between two different seas.
22. Know
How is it pronounced?
“noh”
What does it mean?
This is a tricky word because it is an example of a word with what we call a silent “k”. To know how to pronounce “know”, you need to know it has a silent k.
23. Knell
How is it pronounced?
“nel”
What does it mean?
The rule about a silent “k” makes for tricky pronunciation words. Here’s another word where the “k” is silent and so is the second “l”. This word is used to refer to the ringing of a bell. Usually, this is a big church bell that makes a slow, loud noise.
24. Library
How is it pronounced?
“LAHY-brer-ee”, emphasis in the first syllable
What does it mean?
This is a building which contains a collection of books and other published materials.
25. Mauve
How is it pronounced?
“mohv”
What does it mean?
Mauve is a color. It is a shade of pale purple.
26. Mischievous
How is it pronounced?
“MISS-chiv-us”, with the emphasis on the first syllable.
What does it mean?
This is an adjective that basically means behaving in a way that causes “trouble”. A mischievous action is not bad or evil. It is usually playful and with no malice behind it.
27. Nadir
How is it pronounced?
“NAY-deer”, emphasis on the first syllable
What does it mean?
This means reaching the lowest point.
28. Neophyte
How is it pronounced?
“NEE-uh-fahyt”
What does it mean?
This word is used to refer to a beginner, someone who is new to a task, job, or a group.
29. Often
How is it pronounced?
“AW-fuhn”, emphasis in the first syllable
What does it mean?
If you do something “often” you do it a lot or repeatedly.
30. Onamatopeia
How is it pronounced?
“on-o-mot-o-PEE-a”, with the emphasis on the fifth syllable.
What does it mean?
This is a term for a word that refers to a sound. These words actually imitate the sound they are supposed to refer to, such as “roar” or “buzz”. It has six syllables which make it quite
a mouthful to pronounce, even for native speakers of English.
31. Otorhinolaryngologist
How is it pronounced?
“oh-toh-rye-no-lar-ing-GOL-uh-jee”, emphasis on the seventh syllable.
What does it mean?
This nine syllable word is the formal title of a specific type of medical doctor. This is a doctor who specializes in treating eye, nose, and ear conditions. The simpler way to refer to these types of doctors is as an ENT doctors.
32. Panacea
How is it pronounced?
“pan-uh-SEE-uh”, emphasis on the third syllable
What does it mean?
This refers to a remedy for illness.
33. Phlegmatic
How is it pronounced?
“fleg-MAT-ik”, emphasis on the second syllable
What does it mean?
This is someone who is easy-going. No matter what happens around them they remain calm and collected.
34. Penguin
How is it pronounced?
“peng-gwin”
What does it mean?
A penguin is a type of flightless sea bird. They are typically black and white.
35. Phenomenon
How is it pronounced?
“fi-NOM-uh-non”, emphasis on the second syllable
What does it mean?
A phenomenon is an event that is observable,
36. Puerile
How is it pronounced?
“PYOO-er-il”, emphasis on the first syllable
What does it mean?
When you think something is “purile” you believe it is foolish or childish.
37. Quinoa
How is it pronounced?
Either “KEEN-wah,” “ken-WAG, or “KEN-o-ah”
What does it mean?
Quinoa is an ancient grain that has grown in popularity in the recent decade because of its nutritional values. It’s considered a “superfood” and is actually a Spanish word.
38. Quixotic
How is it pronounced?
“kwik-SOT-ik”
What does it mean?
This is someone who is very idealistic, to the point that their ideas are impractical or unrealistic.
39. Rural
How is it pronounced?
“roor-uhl”
What does it mean?
When you say a place is “rural” you mean that it is located in the countryside.
40. Sanguine
How is it pronounced?
“SANG-gwin”, emphasis on the first syllable
What does it mean?
Someone who is sanguine is cheerful and hopeful, even if they are facing a bad situation.
41. Scissors
How is it pronounced?
“sizzors”
What does it mean?
These are two bladed cutting instruments that you use to cut into thin materials such as paper or cloth.
42. Sixth
How is it pronounced?
“siksth”
What does it mean?
When you say something is the “sixth”, your saying it is item number six in a sequence.
43. Specific
How is it pronounced?
“spi-SIF-ik”, emphasis on the second syllable
What does it mean?
This means that something is clearly defined.
44. Squirrel
How is it pronounced?
“skwi-rel”
What does it mean?
A squirrel is a bushy tailed rodent that lives in trees.
45. Staid
How is it pronounced?
“steyd”
What does it mean?
Someone who is staid is sedate and calm.
46. Successful
How is it pronounced?
“SUKH-ses-fuhl”, emphasis on the first syllable
What does it mean?
If you are successful in pronouncing this word, then you pronounced it correctly. When you are successful in something, you accomplished your aim or your purpose.
47. Surfeit
How is it pronounced?
“SUR-fit”, emphasis in the first syllable
What does it mean?
A surfeit is an extra amount of something.
48. Temperature
How is it pronounced?
“tem-PER-uh-cher”, emphasis on the second syllable
What does it mean?
This is a scientific measurement meant to gague the degree of heat that is present in an object or a substance.
49. Truculent
How is it pronounced?
“TRUHK-yeh-luhnt”, emphasis on the first syllable
What does it mean?
Someone who is truculent is quick tempered. They get into arguments or fights easily.
50. Worcestershire
How is it pronounced?
“WOOster-sher”
What does it mean?
A special sauce that originated in Worcester, a town in England. The town name is also pronounced the as “WOOster-sher”.
51. Zephyr
How is it pronounced?
“ZEF-er”, emphasis on the first syllable
What does it mean?
This refers to a breeze that is soft and mild.
Conclusion
If you want to learn how to correctly pronounce tricky vocabulary words, the answer is: Practice, practice, practice.
It’s also a really good idea to get a native language speaker as an English tutor who can listen to you say these words and help you with your pronunciation. You can also practice using these hard to pronounce words in conversation which will really help you learn them.
accede 
v. agree or express agreement, take on duties or office
affidavit
n. written declaration made under oath, a written statement sworn to be true before someone legally authorized to administer an oath
alias
ad. as known or named at another time or place
anathema
n. a formal curse by a pope or a council of the Church, excommunicating a person or denouncing a doctrine
anemone
n. any woodland plant of the genus Anemone grown for its beautiful flowers and whorls of dissected leaves
antarctic
n. the region around the south pole, at or near the south pole
apocryphal
a. of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true
athlete
n. a person trained to compete in sports
barbiturate
n. organic compound having powerful soporific effect, overdose can be fatal
boatswain
n. ship,s officer in charge of equipment
cache
n. a secret store of valuables or money
cacophony
n. harsh discordant mixture of sounds
camaraderie
n. the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability
cardsharp
n. a person who cheats at cards in order to win money
cavalry
n. a highly mobile army unit, troops trained to fight on horseback
choir
n. a family of similar musical instrument playing together
colloquialism
n. characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech
colonel
n. a commissioned military officer in the army who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general
conch
n. a large spiral shell, or the tropical snail-like sea creature that lives in it
cornet
n. a brass musical instrument with a brilliant tone, has a narrow tube and a flared bell and is played by means of valves
debauch
n. a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity
demagogue
n. a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions and prejudices
dilate
v. add details, as to an account or idea, clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing
diphtheria
n. a serious infectious disease that causes fever and difficulty in breathing and swallowing
draught
n. a current of unpleasantly cold air blowing through a room
electoral
a. relating to or composed of electors, of or relating to elections
emollient
a. having a softening or soothing effect especially to the skin
epitome
n. a standard or typical example, a brief abstract (as of an article or book)
espouse
v. take in marriage, become involved with or support an activity or opinion
espresso
n. strong coffee, or a cup of this, made by forcing hot water through crushed coffee beans and served without milk
fatuous
a. stupid, not correct, or not carefully thought about
February
n. the month following January and preceding March
foliage
n. the leaves of a plant or tree, or leaves on the stems or branches on which they are growing
forte
a. a strong ability, something that a person can do well
foyer
n. a large entrance or reception room or area
grandiloquent
a. puffed up with vanity, lofty in style
hegemony
n. the dominance or leadership of one social group or nation over others
hierarchy
n. a series of ordered groupings of people or things within a system, the organization of people at different ranks in an administrative body
ignominious
a. (used of conduct or character) deserving or bringing disgrace or shame
inchoate
a. only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
isthmus
n. a narrow piece of land with water on each side that joins two larger areas of land
jewelry
n. an adornment made of precious metals and set with gems
knell
v. ring as in announcing death
larynx
n. an organ in humans and animals between the nose and the lungs that contains the muscles to create the voice or sounds
liable
a. held legally responsible, subject to legal action
library
n. a depository built to contain books and other materials for reading and study
maelstrom
n. a powerful circular current of water (usually the result of conflicting tides)
masonry
n. the bricks and pieces of stone that are used to make a building
mauve
n. pale purple colour, pale purple aniline dye
mayonnaise
n. a thick, white sauce made from oil, vinegar, and the yellow part of eggs, usually eaten cold
miniature
a. used to describe something that is a very small copy of an object
mischievous
a. deliberately causing harm or damage, naughtily or annoyingly playful
moot
v. think about carefully, suggest something for discussion
nadir
n. an extreme state of adversity, the lowest point of anything
neophyte
n. any new participant in some activity
noisome
a. offensively malodorous, very unpleasant and offensive
nuptial
a. belonging or relating to a marriage or to the state of being married
onomatopoeia
n. using words that imitate the sound they denote
ordnance
n. military supplies, especially weapons and bombs
orient
v. adjust to a specific need or market, make someone familiar with a new place
ostensibly
ad. in a way that appears or claims to be one thing when it is really something else
panacea
n. something that will solve all problems
parentheses
n. round brackets, the symbols that are put around a word, phrase, or sentence in a piece of writing
parliament
n. a legislative assembly in certain countries
penguin
n. short-legged flightless birds of cold southern, especially Antarctic regions
percolate
v. move slowly through a substance with very small holes in it
peremptory
a. not allowing contradiction or refusal, putting an end to all debate or action
pernickety
a. placing too much emphasis on minor details
perspire
v. sweat, pass liquid through the skin
phenomenon
n. any state or process known through the senses rather than by intuition or reasoning
phlegmatic
a. showing little emotion, not emotional or excited about things
pollute
v. make an area or substance, usually air, water, or soil, dirty or harmful to people, animals, and plants
posthumous
a. occurring or coming into existence after a person’s death
potable
a. clean and safe to drink, suitable for drinking
prerogative
n. a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group, especially a hereditary or official right
pronunciation
n. the way a word or a language is customarily spoken, the manner in which someone utters a word
protean
a. taking on different forms, easily and continuously changing
puerile
a. of or characteristic of a child, displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
pulchritude
n. physical beauty, especially of a woman
quinoa
n. the seeds of a South American plant that are cooked and eaten as food
quixotic
a. not sensible about practical matters, idealistic and unrealistic
relevant
a. having a bearing on or connection with the subject at issue
respite
v. postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal, such as an execution
rural
a. of or relating to the countryside as opposed to the city, living in or characteristic of farming or country life
sanguine
a. confidently optimistic and cheerful, positive and hoping for good things
scissors
n. a device used for cutting materials such as paper, cloth, and hair, consisting of two sharp blades
segue
v. proceed without interruption in music or talk, change smoothly from one state or situation to another
sherbet
n. a frozen dessert made primarily of fruit juice and sugar, but also containing milk or egg-white or gelatin
silicon
n. a tetravalent nonmetallic element, the most abundant element in the earth’s crust that occurs in clay
sixth
a. coming next after the fifth and just before the seventh in position
squirrel
n. a small furry animal with a long tail which climbs trees and feeds on nuts and seeds
staid
a. serious, boring, and slightly old-fashioned
successful
a. having succeeded or being marked by a favorable outcome
suite
n. a set of connected rooms, especially in a hotel
supremacist
n. a person who advocates the supremacy of some particular group or race over all others
surfeit
n. the state of being more than full, the quality of being so overabundant that prices fall
synecdoche
n. a word or phrase in which a part of something is used to refer to the whole of it
temperature
n. the degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment, he somatic sensation of cold or heat
tenet
n. one of the principles on which a belief or theory is based
timbre
n. a quality of sound that makes voices or musical instruments sound different from each other
triathlon
n. athletic contest consisting of three different events
truculent
a. defiantly aggressive, unpleasant and likely to argue a lot
verbiage
n. the manner in which something is expressed in words, overabundance of words
voluptuous
a. (of a woman’s body) having soft, curved, sexually attractive body
yolk
n. the yellow, middle part of an egg
zephyr
n. a slight wind, usually refreshing
zoology
n. the branch of biology that studies animals
We’ve all got a word or two that we struggle with – just the thought of saying them out loud can make us feel a little anxious, or spur us on to practice them a few times. But don’t feel too self-conscious – there are lots of everyday English words that are hard to say, even for the most well-spoken among us. So, what makes a word hard to pronounce? Let’s take a look at some of the most commonly mispronounced words in the English language.
Hardest Words for English Speakers to Say
Anemone
An anemone (try saying that in a hurry) is a type of flower native to temperate climates – and not a sea creature. Sea anemones bear no relation; they were named after the plants for their colourful features. It’s pronounced “ah-neh-muh-nee”, which looks easy enough – but this tricky word has slipped people up into a near endless loop of “an-em-on-em-on-em-on…”.
It could be because at first glance, the arrangement of its constituent letters make it look like a repeating pattern. And there’s the way the syllables bounce off the lips and tongue – giving an urge to keep the rhythm going in a way that makes sense.
Asthma
Two syllables have never been harder to say. It’s particularly infuriating that such an important condition, typically managed from early childhood, should be so hard to communicate. A cluster of consonants, crushed in a vowel sandwich, “az-muh” is the typical US pronunciation for asthma. Some British speakers aim to painfully eek out every sound as “ah-ss-th-muh”.
The “sss” sound is next to the “th” sound; that’s quite a difficult transition of tongue shape and jaw position to do smoothly, and it slows the word down greatly.
Beaulieu
Many English-speakers unfamiliar with the area mistakenly think that the name of this small New Forest village rhymes with polio. It’s actually much closer to rhyming with Julie, with the “beau” at the start pronounced as it is in the word beautiful. There’s another Beaulieu in France, where it’s pronounced “Bol-yoo”.
So why is it hard to say? It’s all down to the composition – an eight letter word with only two consonants makes for wobbly, inconsistent interpretations for those unfamiliar with it.
Defibrillator
Commonly mispronounced as “defribulator”, the correct pronunciation for this life-saving piece of equipment is “de-fib-ri-lay-tuh”. Another big misconception about defibrillators is that they restart a heart that has stopped; they’re actually used to steady a life-threateningly irregular heartbeat. Defibrillators in movies are a magic cure for death, but in reality they can’t jump start a heart that no longer beats.
To stop your heart irregularly beating before you say this word, just think of its medical nickname first: defib (pronounced “dee-fib”). That’ll remove doubt about where the “r” sound goes in the word, and give you a little time to catch yourself – and it’s perfectly acceptable to simply call it a defib.
Library
What do strawberries and libraries have in common? Not much – except that sometimes, even seasoned native speakers pronounce them similarly. “Liberry” is a common mispronunciation of library that drives some people to despair.
It’s probably a hangover from the mispronunciation of February, which is assumed to be pronounced the same as January – thus spoken as “feb-yoo-ree”, when it should be “feb-roo-eh-ree”. It could also be the two”r” sounds being so close together, giving library and February a stuttering effect that takes some thought to pull off without repetition.
Specific
It’s a tongue-twisting, plosive-filled and hissy-sounding mash of letters, with a soft c and a hard c thrown in for good measure. The proximity of the sibilant sounds makes it especially hard to say, and taking away one of them seems to be the solution for many. No wonder it’s so often pronounced “pacific”.
Worcestershire
Ever been tempted to call it “war-Chester-shire”? If you have, you’re not alone. “Woo-ster-sher”, as it’s pronounced, has stumped anyone who has seen it before they’ve heard it. If it’s Worcestershire sauce, you’ll often find it truncated to Worcester sauce – even if Worcestershire is written in full.
It’s hard to say because, like many English words and names, it makes absolutely no sense at all being spelled the way it is. Towns ending -cester all follow the same rule: -cester is pronounced “ster” (except for Cirencester, which confusingly is said in full).
Add to this the fact that “the first three letters are pronounced “woo”, and you begin to wonder why it isn’t spelled “Wustershire”.
Contact Kwintessential
For a professional interpreting service, contact Kwintessential today. Our extensive pool of qualified and experienced interpreters can help with every language – and can handle even the hardest words!
Call (UK +44) 01460 279900 or send a message to info@kwintessential.co.uk.
Twelve Hard Words to Pronounce in English
Here are some hard English words to say that you may encounter in your everyday routine:
1. Anemone
This word is quite difficult to pronounce because of the prevalence of M & N sounds and the [uh-nee] ending that appears to be uttered like the numeral ‘one’, making the word anemone tricky to say.
However, there is a rhythm to this term that can enable you to pronounce it correctly: “uh–nem–uh-nee”.
2. Mischievous
It’s one of those tough pronunciation words in English that many people struggle with.
You’ve probably heard folks say “mis-cheev-ee-us” when it’s actually a three-syllable word pronounced MIS-chiv-us.”
The issue is that the original spelling of the term included an extra I at the end, which was common until the 1700s.
3. Colonel
Native English speakers pronounce this Middle French-derived 16th-century word “ker-nul”.
Those studying English as a second language, on the other hand, are perplexed by the first ‘o’ which sounds like an ‘e,’ the ‘l’ like an ‘r,’ and the other ‘o’ being absolutely quiet.
4. Epitome
It is customary to speak all vowels in Greek that were adopted into English. This is how we derive the word epitome from the Greek ‘epitom’.
The ending -e in epitome is not silent, as it is in many other words in English; it is pronounced [ih-pit–uh-mee].
5. Remuneration
People frequently make the mistake of swapping the easily-confused M and N sounds when spelling this word, most likely since the word number is so prevalent in the English language. [ri-myoo-nuh–rey-shuhn] is how you pronounce remuneration.
Although it refers to payment, the word is derived from the Latin mnus, which means “gift.”
6. Draught
Expatriate English speakers may be bewildered by the pronunciation of this British phrase due to two inconsistencies: the sequencing of the a-u vowel and the composition of the g-h-t consonant.
While it looks to be pronounced “drot,” it is actually pronounced “draught” (as in “laugh”).
7. Quinoa
While quinoa’s popularity has soared in recent years due to its “superfood” characteristics, many folks still have trouble pronouncing it due to its various vowel blends.
It’s pronounced “KEEN-wah,” “ken-WAH,” and “KEN-o-ah” according to Standard English guidelines. But it’s actually a Spanish term with several valid pronunciations, including “KEEN-wah,” “ken-WAH,” and “KEN-o-ah.”
8. Onomatopoeia
The word onomatopoeia is a jumble of vowels and is probably the most difficult English word to pronounce.
It is pronounced [on-uh-mat-uh–pee–uh], and it defines a word that imitates a sound.
The –poeia suffix is pronounced [pee–uh]. The letter O is silent.
9. Scissors
It is a somewhat generic term, and most native speakers have no issue pronouncing it.
However, if you’re learning English, this term contains double consonants that can easily confuse you, leading you to believe it’s pronounced “SKIss-ors” (when it’s pronounced differently as “sizzors”).
Even though it is a single object, it ends in an “s,” which signifies a plural and is referred to as a “pair.”
10. Isthmus
‘Isthmus’ consider as a most difficult word to pronounce in English. When read aloud, the word isthmus poses a pronunciation issue since most English speakers prefer to sound the ‘TH’ in the word.
The TH is silent in this situation, resulting in the accurate pronunciation- of “is-muhs.”
11. Coup
Another word from French that has been taken into English yet has a difficult pronunciation is ‘coup’.
The letters ‘-oup’ at the end of a word get pronounced [oo] in French.
Not only did we translate this French word into English, but we also adapted the French pronunciation. That is to say, ‘coup’ is pronounced [koo].
12. Ignominious
If you can say it correctly, you can call somebody ignominious if you think they are disgraceful.
In spite of the relatively shorter length, the 5 syllables crammed with several “i’s” and “o’s” are more than enough to make anyone’s tongue quiver.
Some of the hardest words to pronounce are ones you encounter every day. You may not even realize youre saying them wrong!accessory: /əkˈsesəri/, ack-sess-or-ee: small thing you we
Dec 22, 2022
• 2 min read
Some of the hardest words to pronounce are ones you encounter every day. You may not even realize youre saying them wrong!
- accessory: /əkˈsesəri/, ack-sess-or-ee: small thing you wear with clothes to add style
- anemone: /əˈneməni/, uh-neh-muh-nee: small plant
- Antarctic: /ænˈtɑrktɪk/, ant-ark-tik: extremely cold region in the Southern part of the world
- anthropomorphic: /ˌænθrəpoʊˈmɔrfɪk/, an-throw-poh-more-fik: considering a non-human object as having human qualities
- asterisk: /ˈæstərɪsk/, ass-ter-issk: the symbol *
- chipotle: /chə-ˈpōt-lā/, chih-poat-lay: smoked and dried chili pepper
- comfortable: /ˈkʌmfərtəb(ə)l/, come-fur-tuh-ble: feeling relaxed
- connoisseur: /ˌkɑnəˈsɜr/, con-ih-sir: someone who knows a lot about a particular thing
- curmudgeon: /kərˈmʌdʒən/, ker-muhd-gin: someone who gets annoyed easily
- expatiate: /ekˈspeɪʃiˌeɪt/, ex-pay-she-ate: talk or write in great detail about
- jalapeno: /ˌhɑləˈpeɪnjoʊ/, ha-luh-pain-yo: small green or red pepper
- ignominious: /ˌɪɡnəˈmɪniəs/, ihg-nuhm-in-ee-us: very embarrassing
- lackadaisical: /ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪk(ə)l/, lack-uh-days-ih-cuhl: doing something in a lazy way
- mischievous: /ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/, miss-chih-vuss: person who enjoys causing trouble for fun
- misogynist: /mɪˈsɑdʒənɪst/, miss-ahdg-in-isst: person who hates women
- niche: /nɪtʃ/, neesh: activity you are good at that is suited to you
- nuclear: /ˈnukliər/, new-clee-er: type of energy
- nuptial: /ˈnʌpʃəl/, nupshl: concerning marriage
- onomatopoeia: /ˌɑnəmætəˈpiə/, on-uh-ma-tuh-pee-uh: words that sound like the thing they refer to
- pauciloquy: pȯˈsiləkwē , paw-sill-oh-kwee: brevity in speech
- peremptory: /pəˈrempt(ə)ri/, per-empt-er-ee: speaking or behaving rudely
- pronunciation: /prəˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃ(ə)n/, proh-nun-see-ay-shun: the way you say a word
- quinoa: /ˈkinwɑ/, keen-wah: plant whose seeds are used as food
- sadomasochism: /ˌseɪdoʊˈmæsəˌkɪzəm/, say-dough-mass-ih-kizm: getting sexual pleasure from pain
- sesquipedalian: /ˌseskwɪpɪˈdeɪliən/, sess-kwih-pid-ay-lee-in: using a lot of long words
- sherbet: /ˈʃɜrbət/, sher-bit: ice-cream like food
- stultiloquence: ˌstəlˈtiləkwən(t)s , stuhl-till-oh-kwense: senseless talk
- turmeric: /ˈtɜrmərɪk/, ter-mer-ik: yellow spice used in cooking
- worcestershire: /ˌwʊstərʃɪr /, wuh-stir-sure: brown sauce