How to Pronounce Elephant

To pronounce "elephant", say EL-eph-ant — 3 syllables, IPA /ˈɛɫəfənt/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

elephant

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Accent

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Speed

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3

Syllables

8

Letters

/ˈɛɫəfənt/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/ˈɛlɪfənt/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “elephant”

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

What does elephant mean?

noun

  1. A large mammal of the family Elephantidae in the order Proboscidea, having a trunk, and native to Africa and Asia.
  2. Anything huge and ponderous.

Keep practicing

Related pages on PronounceIt, chosen from what we know about this word.

Train the contrast: light vs right

Sounds worth drilling for a word spelled like this:

/l/ — l/ə/ — schwa/f/ — f

Read next: How to Read IPA: The Phonetic Alphabet Made Simple

Frequently asked questions

How do you pronounce "elephant"?▾

To pronounce "elephant", say EL-eph-ant — 3 syllables, IPA /ˈɛɫəfənt/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

How many syllables are in "elephant"?▾

"Elephant" has 3 syllables: el · eph · ant.

What is the IPA transcription of "elephant"?▾

The IPA transcription of "elephant" is /ˈɛɫəfənt/.

What does "elephant" mean?▾

Elephant: A large mammal of the family Elephantidae in the order Proboscidea, having a trunk, and native to Africa and Asia.

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