pronunciation

noun

pro·nun·ci·a·tion prə-ˌnən(t)-sē-ˈā-shən

also nonstandard -ˌnau̇n(t)-

: the act or manner of pronouncing something

pronunciational

prə-ˌnən(t)-sē-ˈā-shnəl

-shə-nᵊl

adjective

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Is it 'pronunciation' or 'pronounciation'?

Among the various letters and emails we receive from correspondents asking for pronunciation help are a number in which pronunciation is spelled pronounciation. The confusion is understandable: the verb is pronounce, so why shouldn’t the noun be pronounciation? Both the noun and verb come ultimately from the Latin verb pronuntiare. But when the Latin verb was taken into Anglo-French and later entered Middle English, that second vowel was sometimes rendered as -u- and sometimes rendered as -ou-. This means that, from about the 1500s onward, we see evidence of both pronounciation and pronunciation in the written record. Eventually, the noun standardized to pronunciation, but because of influence from pronounce, we occasionally still see pronounciation in print, and encounter a corresponding pronunciation for pronounciation (\pruh-nown-see-AY-shun\). These facts notwithstanding, the pronounciation spelling and the pronunciation that goes with it are not considered a part of standard English, and may open one criticism or questioning.

Examples of pronunciation in a Sentence

What is the correct pronunciation of his name? I haven't learned proper pronunciation of French words.

Recent Examples on the Web Double checking pronunciation and things like that. —

Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 13 June 2024 Nor are their pronunciations in line with standard American English dialects. —

Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 16 May 2024 The Menominee place names on the website includes places in these four states and voice recordings of their pronunciations. —

Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2024 To solve the problem, modernizers designed a common language based on the vocabulary and pronunciation found in Beijing and claimed that the regional languages were mere offshoots of this main idiom. —

Gina Anne Tam, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2021 See all Example Sentences for pronunciation

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pronunciation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.