How to Pronounce Melee

To pronounce "melee", say MEL-ee — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈmeɪˌɫeɪ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

melee

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Accent

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Speed

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2

Syllables

5

Letters

/ˈmeɪˌɫeɪ/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “melee”

Break "melee" into 2 beats and lean on "MEL" — that's the stressed one. It rhymes with convey and display, if that helps it stick.

What does melee mean?

noun

  1. A battle fought at close range; hand-to-hand combat; brawling.
  2. A noisy, confused or tumultuous fight, argument or scrap.

verb

  1. To physically hit in close quarters, as opposed to shooting, blowing up, or other ranged means of damage. Often refers to the usage of a hand-to-hand weapon.

Hear “melee” 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 melee

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

conveydisplaydismaysobriquetdisarrayallaygaydecayplayportraycachefray

Related words

scrimmagescufflescrambledonnybrookfracashuddleshuffleriot

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "melee"?▾

"Melee" has 2 syllables: mel · ee.

What is the IPA transcription of "melee"?▾

The IPA transcription of "melee" is /ˈmeɪˌɫeɪ/.

What does "melee" mean?▾

Melee: A battle fought at close range; hand-to-hand combat; brawling.

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