How to Pronounce Cathedral

To pronounce "cathedral", say cath-EDR-al — 3 syllables, IPA /kəˈθidɹəɫ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

cathedral

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Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

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3

Syllables

9

Letters

/kəˈθidɹəɫ/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/kɐθˈiːdɹəl/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “cathedral”

Break "cathedral" into 3 beats and lean on "EDR" — that's the stressed one.

What does cathedral mean?

adjective

  1. Relating to the office of a bishop or an archbishop.

noun

  1. The principal church serving as the office (and some as place of residence) of an archdiocese's/a diocese's archbishop/bishop which is symbolized by an episcopal throne known as the cathedra.
  2. A large or important church building.

Keep practicing

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Sounds worth drilling for a word spelled like this:

/θ/ — th voiceless/r/ — r/l/ — l

Read next: How to Pronounce the TH Sound (Both of Them)

Frequently asked questions

How do you pronounce "cathedral"?▾

To pronounce "cathedral", say cath-EDR-al — 3 syllables, IPA /kəˈθidɹəɫ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

How many syllables are in "cathedral"?▾

"Cathedral" has 3 syllables: cath · edr · al.

What is the IPA transcription of "cathedral"?▾

The IPA transcription of "cathedral" is /kəˈθidɹəɫ/.

What does "cathedral" mean?▾

Cathedral: Relating to the office of a bishop or an archbishop.

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