How to Pronounce Belly

To pronounce "belly", say BELLY — one syllable, IPA /bɛli/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

belly

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

5

Letters

/bɛli/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “belly”

"belly" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with jelly and skelly, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: beli — easy to mix up when writing.

What does belly mean?

noun

  1. The abdomen, especially a fat one.
  2. The stomach.

verb

  1. To position one’s belly; to move on one’s belly.
  2. To swell and become protuberant; to bulge or billow.

Hear “belly” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with belly

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

jellyskellyallelesmellyunderbellynelliecellaecelieteletellyfellykelly

Related words

abdomenpaunchstomachventerhungrychowbreastbilly

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "belly"?▾

"Belly" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "belly"?▾

The IPA transcription of "belly" is /bɛli/.

What does "belly" mean?▾

Belly: The abdomen, especially a fat one.

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