How to Pronounce Sec

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

sec

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

3

Letters

/sɛk/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “sec”

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

Sounds exactly like: seck, cech — easy to mix up when writing.

What does sec mean?

noun

  1. Second, 1/60 of a minute.

noun

  1. One-sixtieth of a minute; the SI unit of time, defined as the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of radiation corresponding to the transition between two hyperfine levels of caesium-133 in a ground state at a temperature of absolute zero and at rest.
  2. A unit of angle equal to one-sixtieth of a minute of arc or one part in 3600 of a degree.

Synonyms

secarcsecondsecond of arcWords used as placeholders to count seconds

Hear “sec” 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 sec

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

checkpeckwreckspeckgeckdeckroughneckwhelkheckseckblechbottleneck

Related words

seconddryunsweetsmomentjiffjiffyinstant

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "sec"?▾

"Sec" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "sec"?▾

The IPA transcription of "sec" is /sɛk/.

What does "sec" mean?▾

Sec: Second, 1/60 of a minute.

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