How to Pronounce “Michelangelo”

American (US)

/ˌmaɪkəlˈænd͡ʒɪloʊ/

British (UK)

/ˌmaɪkəlˈænd͡ʒɪloʊ/

proper noun — A 15th- and 16th-century Italian artist, full name Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (1475–1564).

Where the stress falls. “Michelangelo” has 5 syllables, and the transcription /ˌmaɪkəlˈænd͡ʒɪloʊ/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the third one — so the third syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˌmaɪkəlˈænd͡ʒɪloʊ/ 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 "Michelangelo" mean?

Michelangelo (proper noun): A 15th- and 16th-century Italian artist, full name Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (1475–1564).

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

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "Michelangelo", /ˌmaɪkəlˈænd͡ʒɪloʊ/, 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 "Michelangelo"?

/ˌmaɪkəlˈænd͡ʒɪloʊ/ in American English, /ˌmaɪkəlˈænd͡ʒɪloʊ/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "Michelangelo"?

“Michelangelo” has 5 syllables, and the transcription /ˌmaɪkəlˈænd͡ʒɪloʊ/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the third one — so the third syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.