English pronunciation · Words Starting with C
Chaos Pronunciation
Chaos is pronounced KAY-ahs, IPA /ˈkeɪɑs/.
KAY-ahs
US /ˈkeɪɑs/ · UK /ˈkeɪɒs/
Syllables: KAY · ahs (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
noun: Complete disorder, with no pattern anyone can follow.
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Chaos in a Sentence
- The first hour after the power cut was chaos.
- Roadworks on both bridges caused chaos all week.
- Out of that chaos came a much better plan.
Common Mispronunciations of Chaos
Not CHAY-ohs
The ch stands for a k here. Greek words brought that spelling into English with the hard sound intact.
Not kah-OS
The opening syllable takes the beat and uses the long ay of day. What follows is a quick ahs.
Tip: Greek ch is a k in English: chaos, chorus, character, echo, and anchor all follow the rule.
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