How to Pronounce “machete”

American (US)

/məˈʃɛ.ti/

British (UK)

/məˈʃɛ.ti/

noun — A sword-like tool used for cutting large plants with a chopping motion, or used as a weapon.

Where the stress falls. “machete” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /məˈʃɛ.ti/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /məˈʃɛ.ti/ 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 "machete" mean?

machete (noun): A sword-like tool used for cutting large plants with a chopping motion, or used as a weapon.

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

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "machete", /məˈʃɛ.ti/, 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 "machete"?

/məˈʃɛ.ti/ in American English, /məˈʃɛ.ti/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "machete"?

“machete” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /məˈʃɛ.ti/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.