English pronunciation · Words Starting with C
Caribbean Pronunciation
Caribbean is pronounced ke-ri-BEE-uhn, IPA /ˌkɛrɪˈbiən/.
ke-ri-BEE-uhn
US /ˌkɛrɪˈbiən/
Syllables: ke · ri · BEE · uhn (4 syllables, stress on syllable 3)
proper noun and adjective: The sea between North and South America, and the region of islands within it.
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Two Ways to Say Caribbean
The pronunciation changes with the meaning or the part of speech. The form above is the most common; the others are:
- with the beat on the second syllable: /kɝˈɪbiən/ (ker-I-bee-uhn)
Caribbean in a Sentence
- They sailed the eastern Caribbean for a month.
- Caribbean cooking varies enormously island to island.
- The storm formed in the southern Caribbean.
Common Mispronunciations of Caribbean
Not ka-ri-BAY-uhn
The loud syllable takes a long ee. An ay there is the commonest wrong turn in the word.
Not KA-ri-bee-uhn
Neither accepted reading puts the beat at the front. It falls either on the second syllable or on the third.
Tip: Ke-ri-BEE-uhn and kuh-RI-bee-uhn are both standard, and plenty of people use whichever fits the sentence.
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