How to Pronounce Penknife

To pronounce "penknife", say PENKN-if-e — 3 syllables. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

penknife

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 penknife, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

3

Syllables

8

Letters

PENKN-if-e

Say it like

💡 Tip for remembering “penknife”

"penknife" has 3 syllables: penkn-if-e.

What does penknife mean?

noun

  1. Originally a small utility knife for cutting the points of quill feathers or reeds into nibs to provide or repair writing implements in times before pens with artificial nibs, generally metal, became commercially available in the 19th century. Early versions of penknives commonly were small sheath knives.
  2. A small knife designed for safe and convenient storage, typically in the form of a miniature clasp knife, or with blade retractable into the handle. For the most part, such more convenient designs eventually replaced rigid pen knives in cutting quill pens or sharpening pencils.

Related words

paperknifepaper-knifenibberpocketknifeknyfepocket-knifeknife

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "penknife"?▾

"Penknife" has 3 syllables: penkn · if · e.

What does "penknife" mean?▾

Penknife: Originally a small utility knife for cutting the points of quill feathers or reeds into nibs to provide or repair writing implements in times before pens with artificial nibs, generally metal, became commercially available in the 19th century. Early versions of penknives commonly were small sheath knives.

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

Open “penknife” in the full dictionary →