Pronounce

English

Verb

Pronounce (third-person singular simple present Pronounces, present participle pronouncing, simple past and past participle pronounced)

(transitive) To formally declare, officially or ceremoniously.

I hereby pronounce you man and wife.
(intransitive) To pass judgment.

The judge pronounced often before, but never so widely press-attended
(transitive) To sound out (a) word(s).
- 1869, Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad, page 182:
  
  They spell it "Vinci" and pronounce it "Vinchy". Foreigners always spell better than they pronounce.
(intransitive) To produce the components of speech.

Actors must be able to pronounce perfectly or deliberately disabled.
(transitive) To declare authoritatively, or as a formal expert opinion.

The doctor pronounced them legally dead.
(transitive) To read aloud.

Derived terms

Related terms

Adverbs for Pronounce

whimsically; unanimously; syllabically; solemnly; unhesitatingly; emphatically; impressively; weightily; definitely; academically.

Thesaurus

act on, affirm, allege, announce, annunciate, argue, articulate, assert, assever, asseverate, aver, avouch, avow, bid, breathe, broadcast, call on, call the signals, call upon, charge, chime, chorus, come out with, command, commission, communicate, condemn, contend, convey, declare, declare roundly, decree, deliver, dictate, direct, disclose, doom, emit, enjoin, enunciate, express, find, find against, find for, fling off, formulate, give, give an order, give expression, give notice, give out with, give the word, give tongue, give utterance, give voice, have, hold, impart, insist, instruct, issue a command, issue a manifesto, issue a statement, issue a writ, judge, lay down, let out, lip, maintain, make a statement, make an announcement, make known, mandate, manifesto, ordain, order, order about, out with, pass, pass judgment, pass sentence, phonate, phrase, pour forth, predicate, present, proclaim, profess, promulgate, pronounce judgment, pronounce on, protest, publicize, publish, publish a manifesto, put, put forth, put in words, put it, put out, raise, report, return a verdict, rule, say, say the word, sentence, set down, set forth, sound, speak, speak out, speak up, stand for, stand on, state, submit, tell, throw off, utter, utter a judgment, verbalize, vocalize, voice, whisper, word

Etymology

Recorded since c.1330, "to utter, declare officially", from Old French pronuncier, from Late Latin pronunciare, from Latin pronuntiare, itself from pro- "forth, out, in public" + nuntiare "announce," from nuntius "messenger".