Dictionary

pronounce en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /pɹəˈnaʊns/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *pró Proto-Indo-European *pro- Proto-Italic *pro- Latin prō- Latin nūntius Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin nūntiō Latin prōnūntiōbor. Old French prononcierbor. Middle English pronouncen English pronounce Recorded since c.1330 as Middle English pronouncen (“to utter, declare officially”), from Old French prononcier, from Latin prōnūntiō, itself from prō- (“forth, out, in public”) + nūntiō (“to announce”) from nūntius (“messenger”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To declare formally, officially or ceremoniously.
   • I hereby pronounce you man and wife.
   • Then everybody once more knelt, and soon the blessing was pronounced. The choir and the clergy trooped out slowly, […], down the nave to the western door. […] At a seemingly immense distance the surpliced group stopped to say the last prayer. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter V, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
2. (transitive) To declare authoritatively, or as a formal expert opinion.
   • Paramedics attended, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. 2020 December 16, Paul Clifton, “Investigation begins after death at Eastleigh depot”, in Rail, page 12:
   • The doctor pronounced them legally dead.
   • Lily was pronounced dead at the scene.
   • “If any pupil considers it acceptable to bring a pet into this school, let me tell you it is forbidden. Strictly forbidden!” pronounced the headmaster from the front of the class. 2012, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Ratburger, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN:
   • See there! A son is born And we pronounce him fit to fight There are blackheads on his shoulders And he pees himself in the night. 1972, “Thick As A Brick”, Ian Anderson (lyrics), performed by Jethro Tull:
3. (transitive) To declare authoritatively, or as a formal expert opinion. ▸ To pronounce dead.
   • Despite resuscitative efforts, Mr. Gray was pronounced on 4/19/2015. 2015, April 30, Carol H. Allan, David R. Fowler (medical examiners), Freddie Gray autopsy: excerpt from the report, published in The Baltimore Sun, June 24, 2015
4. (intransitive) To pass judgment.
   • The judge had pronounced often before, but never in front of such a crowd.
5. (transitive) To sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate.
   • I wanted to look up velleity and quotidian and memorize the fuckers for all time, spell them, learn them, pronounce them syllable by syllable—vocalize, phonate, utter the sounds, say the words for all they're worth. 2007, Don DeLillo, Underworld: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Scribner Classics, →ISBN, page 543:
   • They spell it "Vinci" and pronounce it "Vinchy". Foreigners always spell better than they pronounce. 1869, Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad, page 182:
6. (qualifier:passive voice, transitive) To sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate. ▸ To sound like.
   • The Icelandic double l in Eyjafjallajökull is pronounced tl.
   • The Chinese believe feng shui, pronounced fung shway, can help blunt the ill effects to health and wealth brought on, for example, by the inauspicious jut of an adjacent building or hill. 1997 January 31, Charles Hutzler, “Leader’s office hunt a lesson in arcana and parking problems”, in AP News, archived from the original on 19 Apr 2023:
   • The firſt day of November was dedicated to the angel preſiding over fruits, ſeeds, &c. and was therefore named la mas ubhal, that is, the day of the apple fruit, and being pronounced lamasool, the English have corrupted the name to lambswool, a name they give to a compoſition made on this eve of roaſted apples, ſugar, and ale. 1786, “Of Allhallow Eve, Named by the Irish Oidhche Shamhna”, in Charles Vallancey, editor, Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis, volume III, Dublin: Luke White, pages 444-445:
   • The DPRK (Joseon Minjujui Inmin Konghuaguk 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國) is read in Chinese as Chaoxian minzhu zhuyi renmin gonghe guo, and its capital, Pyeonyang, is pronounced Pingrang 平壤. 2012, Endymion Wilkinson, “Introduction”, in Chinese History: A New Manual, 3rd revised edition, Harvard University Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 14:
7. (intransitive) To produce the components of speech.
   • Actors must be able to pronounce perfectly or deliberately disabled.
8. (transitive) To read aloud.
9. (transitive) To emphasize, highlight.
   • Bro I've been saying this for the longest time. The problem is that this country loves gossip bro. It pronounces how shallow thinking we are and becoming a lucrative ground for narratives to fog our thinking if we don't outsource it. 2024 July 11, @Mahlako_Mokwala, Twitter:
   • The two men standing are facing with their backs towards the audience, wearing tight knitted garments that pronounce their bottoms. 2014 November 26, Ad Standards, Case Report 0501/14:

Forms

Deriveds

repronounce · pronounceable · unpronouncing · overpronounce · self-pronouncing · pronouncing · pronounced · pronounceability · pronouncer · pronouncing dictionary · mispronounce · how do you pronounce this word

Relateds

pronunciation · pronouncement

Translations (169)

gd fuaimnich (to produce the components of speech) · pt declarar (to declare officially) · pl wymawiać (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · sl izgovarjati (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · bg произна́сям (to pass judgment) · ga fuaimnigh (to produce the components of speech) · ru объявля́ть (to declare authoritatively or as formal opinion) · de aussprechen (to produce the components of speech) · fi ääntää (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · bn উচ্চারণ করা (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · ru объяви́ть (to pass judgment) · fi julistaa (to declare officially) · sl razglasiti (to declare officially) · cs vyslovovat (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · hi उच्चारण करना (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · ja 発音する (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · tg талаффуз кардан (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · sv förklara (to declare authoritatively or as formal opinion) · nl verkondigen (to declare officially) · sl izgovoriti (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · eo deklari (to declare officially) · ru объявля́ть (to pass judgment) · es pronunciar (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · bg обявя́вам (to declare officially) · gl declarar (to declare officially) · el ονομάζω (to declare officially) · pl oznajmić (to declare officially) · nl uitspreken (to declare officially) · lv izrunāt (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · bg заявя́вам (to declare officially) · et hääldama (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · eo elparoli (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · io pronuncar (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · ru произноси́ть (to produce the components of speech) · wuu 發音 /发音 (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · fi julistaa (to declare authoritatively or as formal opinion) · ru провозгла́шать (to declare officially) · bg чета́ на глас (to read aloud) · sv uttala (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · az tələffüz etmək (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · vec parnonciar (to produce the components of speech) · ru объяви́ть (to declare officially) · ro pronunța (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · fi lausua (to read aloud) · ru объяви́ть (to declare authoritatively or as formal opinion) · yi אַרויסרעדן (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · cs vyslovit (to produce the components of speech) · prs تَلَفُّظ کَرْدَن (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · ky айтуу (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · hi सुनाना (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · hu ítél (to pass judgment) · ru провозгласи́ть (to declare authoritatively or as formal opinion) · kk айту (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · de aussprechen (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · gd fuaimnich (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · fr déclarer (to declare officially) · km ហុច (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · ru произнести́ (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · zu -phimisa (to produce the components of speech) · nb uttale (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · vi phát âm (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · hy արտասանել (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · fi lausua (to produce the components of speech) · eo prononci (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · mk пресудува (to pass judgment) · tg талаффус кардан (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · ru провозгласи́ть (to declare officially) · lt ištarti (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · hu kijelent (to declare officially) · km ហុច (to produce the components of speech) · th ออกเสียง (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · nb uttale (to read aloud) · uk ви́мовити (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · sv förklara (to declare officially) · it pronunziare (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · kk сөйлеу (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · mk изговара (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · cs vyslovovat (to produce the components of speech) · nl zich zich uitspreken (to declare authoritatively or as formal opinion) · hu felolvas (to read aloud) · da erklære (to declare authoritatively or as formal opinion) · cmn 發音 /发音 (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · sl razglasiti (to pass judgment) · sh izgovòriti (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · cs vyhlásit (to read aloud) · fi ääntää (to produce the components of speech) · it emettere (to pass judgment) · eo eldiri (to declare officially) · nl uitspreken (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · sh izgovárati (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · sl razglašati (to pass judgment) · zu -phimisa (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · tr telâffuz etmek (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · wa prononcî (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · sq shqiptoj (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · gl pronunciar (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · bg произна́сям (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · ca pronunciar (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · cs prohlásit (to declare officially) · uk вимовля́ти (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · cdo 發音 /发音 (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · ko 발음하다 (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · mk изговори (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · pl wymówić (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · lo ອອກສຽງ (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · cs prohlásit (to declare authoritatively or as formal opinion) · it dichiarare (to declare officially) · nl vonnissen (to pass judgment) · nn uttala (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · fr lire (to read aloud) · ru объявля́ть (to declare officially) · sv utfärda (to pass judgment) · pt pronunciar (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · my ပြောဆိုသည် (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · cmn 宣稱 /宣称 (to declare officially) · ar لَفَظَ (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · cs prohlašovat (to declare officially) · hu kinyilatkoztat (to declare officially) · hu nyilvánít (to declare authoritatively or as formal opinion) · cs vyslovit (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · sh изгова́рати (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · cmn 宣告 (to declare officially) · ur تَلَفُّظ کَرْنا (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · nb erklære (to declare officially) · mn дуудах (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · be вымаўля́ць (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · nan-hbl 發音 /发音 (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · da erklære (to declare officially) · he ביטא \ בִּטֵּא (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · vec parnonciar (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · ru провозгла́шать (to declare authoritatively or as formal opinion) · hu kimond (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · uz talaffuz qilmoq (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · hu kiejt (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · nl verklaren (to declare officially) · hu ejt (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · km អាន (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · yue 發音 /发音 (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · hu nyilvánít (to declare officially) · mk прогласува (to declare officially) · sl razglašati (to declare officially) · mn хэлэх (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · ga fuaimnigh (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · fr prononcer (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · sk vysloviť (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · el προφέρω (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · nl uitspreken (to read aloud) · ru произноси́ть (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · da udtale (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · ug تەلپپۇز قىلماق (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · fa-ira تَلَفُّظ کَرْدَن (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · sh изгово̀рити (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · ru произнести́ (to produce the components of speech) · ar نَطَقَ (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · be вы́мавіць (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · hak 發音 /发音 (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · fi lausua (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · bg произнеса́ (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · rue вы́словити (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · is bera fram (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · it pronunciare (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · pl oznajmiać (to declare officially) · el αρθρώνω (to produce the components of speech) · bg заявя́вам (to declare authoritatively or as formal opinion) · de verkünden (to declare officially) · sk vyslovovať (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · fi tuomita (to pass judgment) · de pronunzieren (to sound out (a word or phrase); to articulate) · fr déclamer (to read aloud)

pronounce en · NOUN · etymology 2

Meanings

1. (plural, plural-only) Eggcorn of pronouns.