How to Pronounce Leech

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

leech

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Accent

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1

Syllable

5

Letters

/liːtʃ/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “leech”

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

Sounds exactly like: leach, leetch, leitch — easy to mix up when writing.

What does leech mean?

noun

  1. An aquatic blood-sucking annelid of class Hirudinea, especially Hirudo medicinalis.
  2. A person who derives profit from others in a parasitic fashion.

verb

  1. To apply a leech medicinally, so that it sucks blood from the patient.
  2. To drain (resources) without giving back.

    “Bert leeched hundreds of files from the BBS, but never uploaded anything in return.”

Synonyms

bloodsuckerparasitespongervampiredrain

Words that rhyme with leech

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

breachreachpeachbeseechdreichspeechscreechoutreachpreachleachbleachimpeach

Related words

hirudineanspongebloodsuckerphlebotomizebleedparasiteminiontadpole

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "leech"?▾

"Leech" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "leech"?▾

The IPA transcription of "leech" is /liːtʃ/.

What does "leech" mean?▾

Leech: An aquatic blood-sucking annelid of class Hirudinea, especially Hirudo medicinalis.

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