English pronunciation · Words Starting with D

Decay Pronunciation

Decay is pronounced di-KAY, IPA /dɪˈkeɪ/.

di-KAY

US /dɪˈkeɪ/  ·  UK /dɪˈkeɪ/

Syllables: di · KAY (2 syllables, stress on syllable 2)

noun and verb: The process of rotting or breaking down, or to rot or break down.

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Decay in a Sentence

  • Damp had left the window frames in decay.
  • Sugar causes tooth decay faster than anything else.
  • Radioactive material decays at a fixed rate.

Common Mispronunciations of Decay

Not DEE-kay

Lean on the second beat and let the first shrink to a quick di. Opening loud makes it sound like a prefix bolted onto a word.

Not di-SAY

A c before an a stays hard in English, so this one is the k of cat.

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