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, 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

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