English pronunciation · Words Starting with N
Nickname Pronunciation
Nickname is pronounced NIK-naym, IPA /ˈnɪkˌneɪm/.
NIK-naym
US /ˈnɪkˌneɪm/ · UK /ˈnɪkneɪm/
Syllables: NIK · naym (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
noun and verb: An informal name used instead of someone's real one.
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Nickname in a Sentence
- His nickname has stuck since primary school.
- They nicknamed the boat the Teapot.
- Nobody remembers where the nickname came from.
Common Mispronunciations of Nickname
Not nik-NAYM
Compounds of this shape lead on their first part, so NIK is loud and naym follows it a step quieter.
Not NI-nuh-naym
The k and the n meet in the middle with nothing between them, and both have to be heard.
Tip: The word began as an eke name, meaning an additional name, and the n of an moved across over the centuries.
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