English pronunciation · Words Starting with C

Cognac Pronunciation

Cognac is pronounced KOH-nyak, IPA /ˈkɑˌnjæk/.

KOH-nyak

US /ˈkɑˌnjæk/  ·  UK /ˈkɒnjæk/

Syllables: KOH · nyak (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)

noun: A fine brandy made in the Cognac region of western France.

Audio for the American and British pronunciations plays on this page with JavaScript enabled.

Cognac in a Sentence

  • He poured two glasses of cognac after dinner.
  • Only brandy from that region may be sold as cognac.
  • The cognac had been in the cellar for thirty years.

Common Mispronunciations of Cognac

Not KOG-nak

The gn works as a single ny, the sound in canyon, so no hard g is heard at all.

Not kohn-YAK

English keeps the weight at the front, even though French spreads it more evenly across the word.

Tip: British dictionaries give KON-yak with a short o and Americans usually KOHN-yak. Both are in use.

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