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How to Pronounce “petit four”

Free audio in American, British, and Australian English.

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American (US)
/ˈpɛti ˈfɔɹ/
British (UK)
/ˈpɛti ˈfɔɹ/

noun — A small cake generally eaten at the end of a meal or served as part of a large buffet.

Where the stress falls. “petit four” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˈpɛti ˈfɔɹ/ 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.

What does "petit four" mean?

petit four (noun): A small cake generally eaten at the end of a meal or served as part of a large buffet.

How do you pronounce "petit four" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "petit four", /ˈpɛti ˈfɔɹ/, 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 "petit four"?

/ˈpɛti ˈfɔɹ/ in American English, /ˈpɛti ˈfɔɹ/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "petit four"?

“petit four” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˈpɛti ˈfɔɹ/ 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.

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