pronounce

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Jump to: navigation, search

Contents

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Recorded since c.1330, "to utter, declare officially", from Old French pronuncier, from Late Latin pronunciare, from Latin pronuntiare, itself from pro- "forth, out, in public" + nuntiare "announce," from nuntius "messenger".

[edit] Pronunciation

  • (US) IPA: /pɹəˈnæwns/

[edit] Verb

Infinitive
to pronounce

Third person singular
pronounces

Simple past
pronounced

Past participle
pronounced

Present participle
pronouncing

to pronounce (third-person singular simple present pronounces, present participle pronouncing, simple past and past participle pronounced)

  1. (transitive) To formally declare, officially or ceremoniously.
    I hereby pronounce you man and wife.
  2. (intransitive) To pass judgment.
    The judge pronounced often before, but never so widely press-attended
  3. (transitive) To sound out (a) word(s).
    • 1869, Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad, page 182:
      They spell it "Vinci" and pronounce it "Vinchy". Foreigners always spell better than they pronounce.
  4. (intransitive) To produce the components of speech.
    Actors must be able to pronounce perfectly or deliberately disabled
  5. (transitive) To declare authoritatively, or as a formal expert opinion.
    The doctor pronounced them legally dead
  6. (transitive) To read aloud.

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Related terms

[edit] Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.