How to Pronounce “latency”

American (US)

/ˈleɪ.tən.si/

British (UK)

/ˈleɪ.tən.si/

noun — The delay between a request being made and the response beginning.

Example: Moving the server closer cut latency in half.

Synonyms: delay, lag

Where the stress falls. “latency” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˈleɪ.tən.si/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˈleɪ.tən.si/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "latency" mean?

latency (noun): The delay between a request being made and the response beginning. For example — Moving the server closer cut latency in half.

How do you pronounce "latency" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "latency", /ˈleɪ.tən.si/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "latency"?

/ˈleɪ.tən.si/ in American English, /ˈleɪ.tən.si/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "latency"?

“latency” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˈleɪ.tən.si/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.