How to Pronounce Porpoise

To pronounce "porpoise", say PORP-ois-e — 3 syllables, IPA /pɔːˈpɔɪs/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

porpoise

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Accent

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Speed

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3

Syllables

8

Letters

/pɔːˈpɔɪs/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “porpoise”

"porpoise" has 3 syllables: porp-ois-e. It rhymes with porpus and corpus, if that helps it stick.

What does porpoise mean?

noun

  1. A small cetacean of the family Phocoenidae, related to dolphins and whales.
  2. (imprecisely) Any small dolphin.

verb

  1. Said of an air-breathing aquatic animal such as a porpoise or penguin: To repeatedly jump out of the water to take a breath and dive back in a continuous motion.
  2. Said of an aircraft: to make a series of plunges when taking off or landing; or of a watercraft: to successively plunge up and down in the water.

Synonyms

garfishmereswinesea hogsea pigseaswine

Hear “porpoise” 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 porpoise

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

porpuscorpus

Related words

harbourfinlessphocoenaseahogphocoenidwhalepontoporiidcetacean

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "porpoise"?▾

"Porpoise" has 3 syllables: porp · ois · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "porpoise"?▾

The IPA transcription of "porpoise" is /pɔːˈpɔɪs/.

What does "porpoise" mean?▾

Porpoise: A small cetacean of the family Phocoenidae, related to dolphins and whales.

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