How to Pronounce Pelican

To pronounce "pelican", say PEL-ic-an — 3 syllables, IPA /ˈpɛl.ə.kən/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

pelican

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying pelican, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

3

Syllables

7

Letters

/ˈpɛl.ə.kən/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “pelican”

"pelican" has 3 syllables: pel-ic-an. It rhymes with pelecan and melican, if that helps it stick.

What does pelican mean?

noun

  1. Any of various seabirds of the family Pelecanidae, having a long bill with a distendable pouch.
  2. A native or resident of the American state of Louisiana.

Words that rhyme with pelican

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

pelecanmelican

Related words

pelecanidaeswanspelecanpelecaniformpelecanoididparrotpeckerpelicanry

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "pelican"?▾

"Pelican" has 3 syllables: pel · ic · an.

What is the IPA transcription of "pelican"?▾

The IPA transcription of "pelican" is /ˈpɛl.ə.kən/.

What does "pelican" mean?▾

Pelican: Any of various seabirds of the family Pelecanidae, having a long bill with a distendable pouch.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “pelican” in the full dictionary →