English spellings/Catalogs/S

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This page lists pronunciations of English words that begin with S. To see a different letter (or the main page) navigate with the table at the top.

S
S *éss

sác biology = sáck coal

sáccharine sácə-

sáchet bag = sáshay walk

'''sácrament

sâcred -ríd or -rəd

sacrilegious -íjəss, from sácrilege, cf. relígious, which rhymes

Sádr city = sádder ''sad

Sagittãrius Sáj-

said say *séd, cf. pâid, lâid etc.

Sàìd Port, person = Sàêed person

sâke for

sàkè drink

sâle sell = Sâle England = sâil boat

Sålisbury *Sålzbry

'''sálivate

'''salîva

sálmon *sámmon

'''Sálomè

sálon BrE; AmE '''salón

'''Samôa

Sámùel -myùl

'''sanctimônious

sándal rhymes with '''cándle

'''Sandinístas

sang-froid *sàng-fwà

San Josè (can be written with Spanish accent San José) *Sán Hô-zè

Sánskrit cf. '''scrîbe

Sàra usually

Sãrah usually

'''Saskátchewan

sátellite - double l, single '''t

'''Sâtan

'''sátín

sátîre cf. '''sátyr

'''Sátürn

sátyr *sátter

Sàùdì *Sòwdy

sàùerkràùt *sòurcròut

'''sàùna

såw see, wood, saying = BrE sŏre pain = BrE sŏar up

sáx saxophone = Sáchs person

says *séz

sáy-sô noun one word

scándal *scándle, rhyming with '''cándle

'''scàr

'''scárab

'''scãre

'''scãrce

scàrf neck = Scàrfe person

scàrlet colour = Scàrlett ''person

sce- se-

'''scenàrio

scêne vista = sêen see

scént smell = cént money, sént send

scéptic BrE, but pronounced as AmE '''sképtic

schàdenfreude *shàdənfrŏyd(ə)

schédule BrE shé-, AmE ské-

schêma *skêemə

schemàta *skêem-àtə

schême *skêem

schérzo *skãirtso

schizophrênia *skítsəfrìnia

schizophrénic *skítsəfrénnic

schnítzel shn-

schtùm sht-

schoôl *skoôl

schoôlboy, schoôlgirl each one word

schoôner skoô-

schwà sh-

sciática sî-

scientífic sîən-

scíssors - ss as z

scóne cf. góne, dòne, '''cône

scöreboard one word

Scót Scotland = Scótt ''person

'''scòur

'''scöurge

'''scráp

'''scrâpe

'''scrâped

'''scrápped

'''scrêam

'''scrêen

'''scríbble

scúll oar = skúll head

'''scŷthe

sêa water = sêe vision

sêal shut, animal

sêaling = cêiling floor

Seån person = Shåun = BrE shŏrn shear

Seáttle cf. beátify, both êá

secêde cf. procêed, precêde, succêed, '''supersêde

secónd BrE ''military

sécond other meanings

'''sectãrian

sedán cf. '''Sudàn

sédentary cf. said, *séd

sêed plant = cêde yield

sêem appear = sêam coal, thread

sêer *sêe-er

'''segregâtion

sèguè *sâygwây

Sèine river = sâne insane, or *Sén, French version having a long é sound

seîsmic sîz-

seismólogist sîz-

sêize grab *sêez = sêes see, cf. cêase stop, sîze big, síeve filter

'''sélf-évident

séll buy = céll ''prison, biology

séll-bŷ dâte (not 'sell buy date')

sémblance cf. '''resemble

sêmen sperm = sêaman sailor = sêamen ''sailors

'''Senegål

sénsor feel = cénsor ''censorship

'''séntence

Seôul Korea = sôle only, shoe = sôul ''spirit

séparate adjective, séparâte verb not -per-, cf. a in pãir, e in '''désperate

séptic infected cf. BrE scéptic = AmE sképtic ''doubter

sépulchre *sépulker

sërf peasant = sürf ''sea

sergeant *sàrjent = Sergeant = Sàrgent persons = serjeant -at-àrms

sêrial TV = cêreal ''breakfast

sêries *sêríz

sêrious cf. Sýria, '''Sírius

sërve cf. sürvèy noun, *sërvây; survèy ''verb

sërvíce *sërvíss, cf. sürface, -físs, minimal pair, only one sound different

sétback noun one word

Sèumas Shây-

séver ''cut

sevêre ''tough

Sévern river BrE = séven ''number

sew thread = sô thus = sôw seed, cf. sòw ''pig

seŵer ''pipe

sewer sew = sôwer ''seed

séxìêst -ìyíst ''most

séxíst sexism

'''sextét

'''shâde

'''shádow

Shâkespêare - variant spellings omitted one or both silent e’s in William Shakespeare’s time but this is the norm now; cf. shâke and '''spêar

'''shâky

'''shâman

shãreholder one word

shêar cut = shêer ''absolute

shèikh Arabia - kh sound, or = shâke ''rattle

'''Shêila

shéllfish cf. '''sélfish

shenánigans - no double letters

shépherd *shépperd = Shépherd = Shéphard = Shépheard ''persons

shh - any number of h’s

Shìa ≈ BrE '''shêer

'''shíbboleth

Shìîte - no apostrophe or hyphen

shoe foot = shoô ''away

shoô-in noun one word; *shoe-ín

shoôt bang = chûte ''fall

shôre sea BrE = Shåw person and often = sûre ''certain

shŏrn shear BrE = Shåun, Seån ''persons

shŏrtcoming one word

shŏrtlist finalists cf. '''a shŏrt líst

'''Shostakôvich

shoùld *shoòd, cf. shôulder, '''hoòd

shôwcase one word, cf. '''bàsket câse

Shreŵsbury *Shroôzbry or, more commonly, *Shrôzbry

Shrì alternative spelling of Srì - but not in '''Srì Lánka

'''shŷ

'''shŷlỳ

Siàn *Shàn

Sibêria Sî-

'''síbling

síbyllîne - y as schwa

sìêge cf. '''sêize

síeve *sív, cf. '''sêize

'''Siérra Leône

'''Sierra Leônean

sîgh breath = Cŷ ''person

sîghed sigh = sîde ''beside

sîght see = sîte place = cîte ''quote

sîgn signal = sîne mathematics

'''sígnature

Sìkh religion = sêek find

símilê cf. símilar, '''smîle

'''simultâneous

Sînaî

'''Sinàtra

síng song = Síngh ''person

sínger - síng + -er, cf. '''síngeing

síngeing singe -jing, cf. sínging sing - hard '''g

'''Singapŏre

'''Singapŏrean

'''singlemîndedly

sîphon or '''sŷphon

sïr - but Sir before a man’s name is not stressed and has the schwa sound: *Sə(r) '''Jóhn Fålstaff

sîte place = cîte ''quote

sîting ''site

sítting ''sit

situâtion - sí-, cf. citâtion, cî-

sîze cf. '''sêize

sîzeable or '''sîzable

skì snow, cf. skŷ ''above

skìêr ''ski

skîer ''sky

'''skìíng

'''skîve

'''skuldúggery

skúll head = scúll ''oar

skŷscrâper one word

slág cf. '''Glénda Slágg

slây kill = slèigh ''snow

slêaze cf. plêase, which rhymes, and grêase, which has the s hissing sound

slêeve, cf. '''lêave

sleîght-of-hand cf. '''slâte

'''sleŵ

slîght little, slur = '''sleîght-of-hand

slípshod no hyphen

'''slôth

slòugh swamp *slòu = Slòugh town, cf. slôw ''not fast

sloúgh skin *slúff

'''slúg

'''slür

'''slŷ

'''slŷlỳ

smållpox one word

smélt smell, metal, fish

smídgen or smídgin cf. '''pídgin

smôkescreen one word

Smŷth = Smŷthe, voiced th, cf. Smíth = smíth, unvoiced th

'''snêeze

'''snóbbery

snoô- - all such words have this sound

snoôty cf. '''soòty

'''snoôze

snôwmobìle cf. '''môbîle

'''snôwstorm

sŏar up = sŏre ''hurt

sôber cf. BrE sómbre AmE '''sómber

sóccer *sócker

sôcial sôsh-

'''sôcialism

sociólogy sôsh-

'''sociológical

sóck cf. '''sóccer

sóften *sóffen

'''sóftwãre

sólace *sóllis, cf. '''Hóllis

sôldier *sôljer, cf. cŏrdial, as spelt

sôle only, fish = sôul spirit = Seôul ''Korea

'''sólipsism

solitãire patience cf. sólitary ''alone

'''sôlo

Sólomon - all o’s

sómbre BrE; AmE sómber; cf. '''sôber

sòme any = súm ''total

sòmehòw one word

sòmeone *súmwún, one word

sòmersåult cf. '''súmmer

Sòmerville cf. '''súmmer

sòmething cf. '''sòme thíngs

sòmetime former cf. '''sòme tîme

sòmeẁhat one word

'''sônàr

sóngwrîter one word

'''soôn

'''soòt

sŏre pain = sŏar rise, BrE = såw ''see

sŏught seek BrE = sŏrt type

sôul spirit = sôle only, fish = Seôul Korea

sòundbite one word

soûpçon *soûpsón

sŏurce origin BrE = såuce seasoning

sòuth unvoiced th, *sòwth

soúthern voiced th, *súdhern

Soúthwark voiced th, *Súdhək

soûvenìr *sûvenêer

sóvereign *sóvrin

sôw seed = sô therefore = sew cloth, cf. '''sòw

sòw pig

sŏya bean = Såwyer person = såwyer saw

spà town BrE = spàr fight

spâte flood, many = Spêight ''person

'''spây

spâceship one word

spêak cf. '''spêech

spêcíes *spêeshiz

'''spécimen

spéctre BrE; AmE spécter = Spéctor person

spêech cf. '''spêak

Spéncer usual = Spénser poet

spíllage -íj

spínach *spínij, *spínnage, cf. '''spíllage

spôkesperson one word

spótlîght -lîte, one word

'''spŷ

'''sqùander

sqùalor cf. dóctor, BrE còlour AmE '''còlor

'''squêamish

Srì Lánka can be pronounced, but not spelt, Shr-

St. *Sənt: abbreviation of Sâint before a name as in St. Màrk; St. Jóhn secular may be 	*Sínjən

'''stâbilise

stâble ''stability, horse

stâgefright *stâjefrîte, one word

stâid old-fashioned = stâyed ''stay

stâin mark = Stèyn person, cf. Steîn person

stâir up = stâre ''look

stâke bet, wooden = steâk ''meat

'''ståll

'''stålwart

stànch ''flow

stàr sky, film = Stàrr ''person

stãre look = stãir ''climb

stãring ''stare

stàrring ''star

stâteside one word

stâtionary motionless = stâtionery ''paper

'''stâtist

'''statístics

státistícian -shn

'''státutory

ståunch ''support

'''stây

stâyed stay = stâid ''old-fashioned

stéad cf. stéady, '''stêed

steâk meat = stâke bet, wooden, cf. strêak ''line

stêal thieve = stêel ''metal

'''stéalth

'''sténch

stép walk = stéppe ''plain

Stêphens = Stêvens -v-

'''stérilise

stërling currency = Stïrling Scotland = Stërling ''person

'''steŵard

Steŵart person = Stûart person: one is more likely to meet a Stûart Steŵart than the 	reverse

'''stíck

'''stîfle

'''stíll

'''stíng

stíngy -njy

'''stínk

'''stítch

St. Jóhn in most cases *Sənt-Jón, in a few *Sínjən

'''stôny

stópôver ''noun, adjective

stŏre shop = Stŏrr ''person

stŏrey BrE floor = stŏry ''tale, AmE floor

'''stŏry-télling

'''Stŏrmont

strâight direct = strâit ''narrow

straightfŏrward adjective one word

'''Stranràer

stràta BrE; AmE strâta = BrE '''strâighter

'''stratêgic

'''strátegy

stràtum AmE '''strâtum

strêamlined one word

'''strénuous

Stréatham -təm

strýchnìne *strícknêen

Stûart person = Steŵart person - the Scottish royals were Stûarts but Stûart is more common as a given name, Steŵart more as a family name

'''stúcco

'''stûdent

'''stúdy

'''stûpid

stŷ pig = stŷ or stŷe ''eye

stŷle mode = stîle ''field

stŷmie cf. '''slîmy

Stýx river = stícks ''stick

suàve swà-

súb as an abbreviation, for example for sub-editor or submarine, sub-edit or substitute, is a word in its own right, but far more often it is attached to the following word, with or without a hyphen; there is also the expression:...

súb jûdicê

'''súbjugate

'''submarìne

'''submáriner

'''submít

'''subŏrn

subpoêna AmE -pê-

'''subsîdence

'''súbsídy

substántial -shəl

'''súbtitle

súbtle *súttle, cf. súpple

succêed -x-

succéss -x-

succínct -x-

súccour help = súcker ''fool

succúmb -úm

Sudān cf. '''sedán

sûe law = Sûe Susan = Sioûx American; cf. diminutives Sûsie, Sûzy, etc. = Sioûxsie Banshees; words beginning soô- and soû- also have this sound

suède material = swâyed ''sway

Sûez *Soôwíz

'''suffîce

Súffolk -fək

súffrage cf. '''súffer

sùgar shù-

'''suicîdal

sûit wear, cards *sût - or *syût (more common in inflected versions such as unsûitable), cf. soòt ''black

suìte rooms, music = swêet ''confection

súlphur BrE; AmE '''súlfur

súm arithmetic = sòme ''others

súmmary summarise = súmmery ''summer

sún star = sòn ''offspring

súnglasses one word

súnny sun = sònny ''son

súndae ice-cream = Súnday ''day

Sùnni Muslim cf. súnny weather - some AmE speakers say Sûnni *Soôny

sûper-rích is a good example of the usefulness of the hyphen: compare an apparent ‘supérrich’

'''supercílious

'''supërfluous

'''superflûity

supersêde cf. precêde, '''intercêde

'''súpper

súpple *súpəl, cf. súbtle, *sútəl

súpplement -pləmənt

supplŷ provide

súpplỳ supple

suppréss -pp-

sûre AmE *shûre; BrE sůre rhyming with '''Shåw

sûrety AmE *shûre, BrE *shůrety

sürf sea = sërf peasant

sürface -físs, cf. sërvíce, minimal pair, only one sound different

Surinám or -'''náme

'''surmòunt

'''súrrogacy

sürplíce clergy ≈ sürplus extra

surprîse -rpr-; not -ize

survèillance -ll-

sürvèy noun

survèy verb

Sûsan -z-, cf. Suzánne, etc.

'''suscéptible

suspénse AmE and BrE; but see retroalphabetical list for -ence and -ense

'''sustâin

'''sústenance

'''svélte

sẁallow ''throat, bird

'''sẁamp

sẁan bird = Sẁann ''person

Sẁansea *Swónzy

'''swårthy

'''sẁastika

sẁat fly = swót ''exam

sẁath ridge - though increasingly this spelling is being used for the vogue word...

swâthes, swâths ''large areas

'''swéar

swéat ''perspire

swêet eat = suìte ''music, hote

'''swêetheàrt

sweêt-talk verb hyphenated

swŏrd blade *sŏrd, cf. swård turf, swŏre, swŏrn swear, w pronounced in all three

swót exam = sẁat ''fly

sý- apart from the variant spelling of sîphon, sŷphon, and '''Sŷracûse

sybarític cf. '''síbyllîne

'''sýcamore

.*sych- no words begin like this

'''sýcophánt

Sýdney Australia, person = Sídney ''person

'''Sylhét

'''sýllable

'''sýllabus

'''sýlph

sýmbol sign = cýmbal ''percussion

'''sýmmetry

'''symmétrical

sýmptom cf. '''Símpson

sýnagogue -'''góg

sýnch synchronisation = sínk ''lower, wash

'''sýndrome

synécdochê -kê

'''sýnod

'''syrínge

'''sýrup

'''sýstem