RD.COM Knowledge
Johanna ReadUpdated: Aug. 25, 2021
If you pronounce these words differently, don’t worry—many people do. But here’s how they were originally meant to be pronounced 50, 100, or 200 years ago—and, according to the dictionary, still should be.
1/54
rd.com
How to pronounce TRANSIENT
This one depends a lot on where you’re from. In the United Kingdom, “tran-zee-ent” is common, but in the United States it’s also correct to use two syllables, as in it’s “tran-shent.” Check out these fancy words that will make you sound smarter.
2/54
rd.com
How to pronounce STATUS
You have two choices here too. Both “stay-tus” and “stah-tus” are correct. These are company names you’ve been mispronouncing this whole time.
3/54
rd.com
How to pronounce PRELUDE
Similarly, both “pray-lood” and “prel-yood” are right. Make sure you don’t use these words and phrases that make you sound stupid.
4/54
rd.com
How to pronounce VALET
Valet is another word that has evolved over the years. It does seem to originally come from France, but evidence shows it was originally pronounced as “val-it.” Now, most Brits say “val-it” to mean the butler who helps you get dressed. In most other English-speaking countries, the “val-ay” is the person who parks your car or carries your bags to your hotel room for you.More words that can get complicated? Food names. Here are ones that you’re probably pronouncing wrong.
5/54
rd.com
How to pronounce FORTE
If you’re discussing someone’s “forte,” as in a strength, the “e” is silent. “Fortay” is correct only if you’re using it as a musical term. Don’t miss the 30 most beautiful words in the English language.
6/54
rd.com
How to pronounce ERR
To err is human, and in the United States there are two acceptable pronunciations of “err.” It can rhyme with “hair” as in “er.” Originally it was said like “air.” In the United Kingdom, the standard pronunciation rhymes with “her.” Check out these 41 grammar rules that will make you sound smarter instantly.
7/54
rd.com
How to pronounce GALA
Should be: “gay-luh.” See the surprising meaning behind these 8 really weird words.
8/54
rd.com
How to pronounce APPLICABLE
It’s perfectly fine to put the emphasis on the first syllable, as in “app-lic-able”, but you can also say “a-plic-able.” Find out 24 more things you’ve been saying wrong this whole time.
9/54
rd.com
How to pronounce SPHERICAL
It’s “sferr-i-kal,” not “sfeer-i-kal.” Here are some funny words that sound fake (but aren’t).
10/54
rd.com
How to pronounce DECREASE
If you’re using it as a noun, it’s de-crease. If you’re using it as a verb, it’s de-crease. Think you’re a wordsmith? Learn the 33 middle school vocabulary terms that most adults still get wrong.
11/54
rd.com
How to pronounce CARAMEL
“Kah-ruh-mull” is the original way, although “kar-mull,” which was once a Midwestern regional pronunciation, is also acceptable. Some chefs like to “kare-a-mal-ize” their desserts with “kare-a-mel” but they eat square-shaped Kraft “kar-mulls” at Halloween.
12/54
rd.com
How to pronounce MAUVE
It once rhymed with “stove,” but now the “au” is sounded as “aw.” You’re safe with “mov.” Start using these 10 almost-extinct words right now to save them from word death!
13/54
rd.com
How to pronounce REGIME
The first syllable is sounded as “ray.” The word as a whole is pronounced “ray-gime.”
14/54
rd.com
How to pronounce JOUST
In the 13th century, it was pronounced (and spelled) like the word “just.” Today, you would pronounce it “j-oust.” Find out the 15 terms that used to mean completely different things.
15/54
rd.com
How to pronounce EITHER
“Eee-thur” or “aye-thur”? Your choice! (And so is “nee-thur.”)
16/54
rd.com
How to pronounce QUASI
Today it’s often pronounced “kwah-zee,” but it’s more correct to say “kway–zi.” Do you suffer from quasi-chronic pain? (We hope not, because that’s not real.) Check out the 35 medical terms you probably mispronounce.
17/54
rd.com
How to pronounce LONG-LIVED
Today we say the “lived” as “livd,” but until the 20th century, it was pronounced “lyved.”
18/54
rd.com
Comptroller
She doesn’t troll computers; she controls finances, which is why this management title is technically pronounced “con-tro-ller.” Find out the 10 amazing,uncommon English wordswe don’t use but really should.
19/54
rd.com
Gyro
Ever thought about how to pronounce gyro? It may have the same root word as gyroscope, but this spinning Greek meat deserves a proper Greek pronunciation: “yee-roh.”
20/54
rd.com
Victual
This dated term for food rhymes with whittle—as in “vittle”—not rituals.
21/54
rd.com
How to pronounce ESPRESSO
The Italian coffee is pronounced how it’s spelled, “es-press-o,” and note there is no “x.” In France it’s sometimes called “un express” and then it’s fine to say the “x.” Don’t miss these similar word pairs even good spellers screw up.
22/54
rd.com
How to pronounce BON MOT
Even worldly Veronica Lodge on Riverdale got this one wrong. The French phrase translates directly as “good word,” and is often used to mean a “witty remark.” To say it properly, barely pronounce that “n,” adding a little nasal tone, and don’t say the T at all. It’s kind of like “bohn mo” And when you pluralize it, don’t say the “s.”
23/54
rd.com
How to pronounce BON APPETIT
The “bon” in “bon appetit” isn’t exactly the same as the “bon” in “bon mot.” Because “appetit” starts with a vowel, you blur the “n” at the end of “bon” into the “a.” The “t” at the end of “appetit” is silent. So, it’s like “bo-nap-e-tea.” If you say these 9 words, we can tell were you grew up.
24/54
rd.com
How to pronounce MACARON
How you pronounce this cookie depends on exactly which one you’re referring to. The beautifully-colored French almond-based sandwich cookies are pronounced “mac-a-ron,” with that tricky nasally “n” that you barely pronounce at the end. If you’re talking about several macarons, the “s” is silent. A macaroon, with the “oo” stretched out as in “moon,” is the coconut haystack cookie. And you do say the S when you have a plate of them.
25/54
rd.com
How to pronounce SCONE
No one knows for sure, but many say this tea-time pastry was invented in Scotland. Scots and others in the northern British Isles pronounce it to rhyme with “cone,” though some others in the United Kingdom and in other English-speaking countries rhyme it with “gone.” This is one where you get to choose how to say it, though we suggest “skoon” on this side of the pond. You might be using these 70 words and phrases all wrong.
26/54
rd.com
How to pronounce NOUVEAU
This French word for “new” is not said like “no-vu,” but rather “new-vo.” And “nouveau riche” is pronounced like “new-vo reesh.”
27/54
rd.com
How to pronounce SANS
This French word for “without” is occasionally tossed into an English sentence, perhaps when ordering a sandwich (“sans mayo, please”). While it’s acceptable to pronounce it how it’s spelled in the United States, to say it properly, don’t pronounce the last “s” at all and the “a” shouldn’t be like in “sand” but instead like in “saw.” Try to barely pronounce the “n” and make it a bit nasally, as in “sahn.” Learn these 36 words that only English majors will know from the Thesaurus.
28/54
rd.com
How to pronounce NICHE
Americans often pronounce this word to rhyme with “pitch,” but most other English-speakers pronounce it as “neesh,” with the latter gaining in popularity even in the United States. You’re correct whichever one you choose, though know that non-Americans may raise their eyebrows at “nitch.”
29/54
rd.com
How to pronounce ZEBRA
Americans say “zee-bra” and Brits say “zeb-ra.” Both are correct. But since the animal is from Africa, don’t people from the continent know best? Note that the South African host of the Daily Show, Trevor Noah, says “zeb-ra.”
30/54
rd.com
How to pronounce CLIQUE
While it’s tempting to pronounce this how it’s spelled, with the French-sounding “eek” ending, it’s actually pronounced “click.” Here are 10 words you’ll only find in English.
31/54
rd.com
How to pronounce CHAISE LONGUE
This French couch is technically pronounced like “chezz long” and the words translate as “long chair”. When it was first brought over from France in the 1700s, people mispronounced it as “chays lounge.” It stuck and that pronunciation is also used for the poolside deck furniture that’s so nice to lounge on. Go ahead and say “chays lounge” in the United States, but you might want to switch to “chezz long” (and stretch out the G a little) the next time you’re on the French Riviera.
32/54
rd.com
How to pronounce AMUSE BOUCHE
Chefs will sometimes send this bite-sized appetizer out to a table to show off their cooking skills. Literally translated as “(to) entertain (the) mouth.” Don’t say “ah-myoo-zay.” Instead, it’s “a-muze boosh.” Foodies will also want to know how to pronounce “Zagat.”
33/54
rd.com
How to pronounce WORCESTERSHIRE
Both the sauce and the English town, Worcester where it comes from, aren’t as complicated as the spelling indicates. “Wus-ter” is correct, when talking about the English county; add the “shire” at the end for the sauce.
34/54
rd.com
How to pronounce CHALET
The French mountain cottage doesn’t have a hard CH as in “chess,” it’s like “shall.” And, like many French words ending in a hard consonant, you don’t pronounce the “t.” It’s “shall-ay” with more emphasis on the first syllable. Check out these funny words you probably didn’t know existed.
35/54
rd.com
How to pronounce WHET
Pronounce the “whet” in “whet your appetite” the same way you pronounce “wet.” Saying these words makes you sound old.
36/54
rd.com
How to pronounce BRUSCHETTA
If you’re ordering this in an Italian restaurant, feel free to use the correct Italian pronunciation with a hard K in the middle, as in “brus-sket-a.” Think of the “ch” like “zucchini” or “Pinocchio.”
37/54
rd.com
How to pronounce CROISSANT
>Americans at home can get away with saying “crus-saunt,” but the buttery French pastry is properly pronounced without the hard “t” at the end and with that barely pronounced nasally “n.” Aim for “kwa-sahn.” If you order two croissants, the “s” at the end is silent.
38/54
rd.com
How to pronounce FOIE GRAS
This dish of fattened goose liver is pronounced as “fwah grah.” It’s commonly eaten as paté, which is pronounced “pah-tay.” Do you eat out at a lot of restaurants? Brush up on these 17 food names that you might be pronouncing wrong.
39/54
rd.com
How to pronounce FRITES
If you’re ordering steak frites, “frites” is properly said without the “s” and the “i” sounds more like a stretched out “ee.” Order your “freet” as the Belgian do—with a side of mayo.
40/54
rd.com
How to pronounce GENRE
The “g” is soft, like ‘jh” and the emphasis is on the first syllable, which rhymes with “on.” It’s “jhon-ruh.” Don’t miss these words from early dictionaries that no longer exist.
41/54
rd.com
How to pronounce CONCIERGE
Ask the “con-see-erge,” with a soft “g,” for help at your hotel.
42/54
rd.com
How to pronounce MAZEL TOV
Congratulating someone in Hebrew or Yiddish is more correctly said like “maz-ahl tove,” with the last word rhyming with “cove.” Check out this list of middle school vocab words adults still get wrong.
43/54
rd.com
How to pronounce BEIGNET
These delicious doughnuts are best served warm and best pronounced “ben-yay.” The “s” is silent in the plural.
44/54
rd.com
How to pronounce DEJA VU
Seen this one already? That’s déjà vu, literally meaning “already seen.” Say it like “day-zjha vu.” Note that it’s not “view.” See the meaning of these words that don’t mean what you think they do.
45/54
rd.com
How to pronounce KAYAK
Careful that you don’t say “kay” like the woman’s name; it’s more like “kye” to rhyme with “tie.” Take your “kye-yak” out on the water. These quirky words don’t have an English translation.
46/54
rd.com
How to pronounce NAMASTE
Saying the Hindi word for hello the Anglicized way, “nah-mah-stay,” isn’t correct. It’s more like “nuhm-uh-stay.”
47/54
rd.com
How to pronounce PROVOLONE
This Italian cheese is “pro-vo-lo-nay.” You pronounce the last letter in many Italian words ending in “e”. “Calzone” is closer to “cal-zon-eh” than “cal-zone” for example. See the longest word in the English language that has 189,819 letters.
48/54
rd.com
How to pronounce LINGERIE
Often said in English with an “ay” ending and in three syllables, it’s more correct to say “law-jh’ree.”
49/54
rd.com
How to pronounce PHO
This Vietnamese soup is pronounced like “fuh,” most correctly when you stretch out the word a bit. It does not rhyme with “slow.” Check out these hilarious made-up words you’ll totally want to start using.
50/54
rd.com
How to pronounce PRIX FIXE
A fixed-price meal is properly said “pree feeks.”
51/54
rd.com
How to pronounce ESCARGOTS
If you’d like to order snails (preferably with garlic butter), say “es-car-go.” You got it, the last “s” is silent. See these common pairs of words that almost everyone confuses.
52/54
rd.com
How to pronounce SAUNA
Though “saw-na” is correct in the United States, the Finnish word is correctly said “sow-na.” These words can make you instantly funnier.
53/54
rd.com
How to pronounce GUACAMOLE
Technically, the “g” is said like a “w.” So, in Mexico, this avocado dip is “wak-a-mol-ay.”
54/54
rd.com
How to pronounce QUINOA
It’s not at all pronounced how it’s spelled; say “keen-wah.” Next, see how to improve your vocabulary in just one day.
Originally Published: September 17, 2020
Johanna Read
Johanna Read, Canadian writer and photographer, writes about travel (including under COVID-19), wildlife, food, health and wellness, and responsible tourism. She aims to encourage travel that is culturally, economically, and environmentally sustainable. Johanna also writes occasionally about public policy, leadership, and management. She draws on her management consulting work (where she specializes in organizational culture and employee wellness) and on her background as a Government of Canada policy executive. Her BAH (psychology and sociology) and MPA (health policy) are from Queen's University. Johanna's bylines include Reader's Digest, Fodor's, Lonely Planet, USA Today, and Canadian Traveller. See her portfolio; follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
