English spellings/Catalogs/S

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	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z
Use in English
Alphabetical word list
Retroalphabetical list
Common misspellings

This page lists pronunciations of English words that begin with S. To see a different letter navigate with the table above. The apostrophe is treated as the last letter of the alphabet, after Z.

For a pronunciation key, click on the blue "Catalogs" link below the article title.^[e]

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S *éss

sác biology = sáck coal

sáccharine sácə-

sáchet bag = sáshay walk

sácrament

sâcred -ríd or -rəd

sacrilegious -íjəss, from sácrilege, cf. relígious, which rhymes

Sádr city = sádder sad

Sagittãrius Sáj-

saguàro *səgwàro, *səwàro, *səhwàro

said say *séd, cf. pâid, lâid etc., sád unhappy

Sàìd Port, person = either Sàêed person or sîde lateral

sâil = sâle

sâke for

sàkè drink

sâle sell = Sâle England = sâil boat

Sålford

Sålisbury *Sålzbry

sálivate

salîva

sálmon *sámmon

Sálomè

sálon BrE; AmE salón

Salvadǒrean, Salvadǒrian

Samôa

Sámùel -myùl

sanctimônious

sándal rhymes with cándle

Sandinístas

sang-froid *sàng-fwà

San Josè (can be written with Spanish accent San José) *Sán Hô-zè

sáns

Sánskrit cf. scrîbe

sápphire stone = Sáfire person

Sàra usually

Sãrah usually

Saràwak

sàrcasm -zəm

sarcástic

Saskátchewan

sátellite - double l, single t

Sâtan

sâte

sátín

sátîre cf. sátyr

Sátürn or, BrE, -tən

sátyr *sátter

Sàùdì Arâbia *Sòwdy

sàùerkràùt *sòurcròut

sàùna

sávoir-fãire *sávwar-fãir

sávvy

såw see, wood, saying = BrE sŏre pain = BrE sŏar up; French speakers should beware a tendency to make it sound like sô

sáx saxophone = Sáchs person

says *séz

*Sâyshells Seychélles

sáy-sô noun one word

scáffolding

scámp

scámpì *scámpy

scándal *scándle, rhyming with cándle

scàr

scárab

scãre

scãrce

scàrf neck = Scàrfe person

scàrlet colour = Scàrlett person

sce- se-

scenàrio

scêne vista = sêen see

scént smell = cént money = sént send

scéptic BrE, but pronounced as AmE sképtic

schàdenfreude *shàdənfrŏyd(ə)

schédule BrE shé-, AmE ské-

Scheherazàde Sh-

schêma *skêemə

schemàta *skêem-àtə

schême *skêem

schérzo *skãirtso

schísm *skízm

schíst *shíst

schizophrênia *skítsəfrìnia

schizophrénic *skítsəfrénnic

schnítzel shn-

schoôl *skoôl

schoôlboy, schoôlgirl, schoôlchildren, each one word

schoôner skoô-

schtùm sht-

schwà sh-

sciática sî-

scientífic sîən-

scíssors - ss as z

scóne cf. góne, dòne, cône

scöreboard one word

Scót Scotland = Scótt person

*scóugh: scóff

scòur

scöurge

scráp

scrâpe

scrâped

scrápped

scrêam

scrêen

scríbble

scúll oar = skúll head

scúllery

scúttle

scŷthe

sêa water = sêe vision

sêal shut, animal

sêaling = cêiling floor

Seâmus *Shâmus

Seån person = Shåun = BrE shŏrn shear

Sëarle

Seáttle cf. beátify, both êá

secêde cf. procêed, precêde, succêed, supersêde

secónd BrE military

sécond other meanings

sêcrecy

sêcret

sectãrian

sedán cf. Sudàn

sédentary cf. said, *séd

sèder

sêed plant = cêde yield

sêem appear = sêam coal, thread

sêer *sêe-er

segregâtion

sèguè *sâygwây, or = Ségway

Sèine river = sâne insane, or *Sén, French version having a long é sound

seîsmic sîz-

seismólogist sîz-

sêize grab *sêez, *siêze = sêes see, cf. cêase stop, sîze big, síeve filter

sélf-hélp, -defénce, -évident, etc.

séll buy = céll prison, biology

séll-bŷ dâte (not 'sell buy date')

séllotape, cf. céllophane

sémblance cf. resemble

sêmen sperm = sêaman sailor = sêamen sailors

sémi one word where it is an abbreviated form of phrases like sémi-fînal and sémi-detáched, otherwise must be hyphenated to following word

Senegål

sénsor feel = cénsor censorship

séntence

Seôul Korea = sôle only, shoe = sôul spirit

séparate adjective, séparâte verb not -per-, cf. a in pãir, e in désperate

séparately

séptic infected cf. BrE scéptic = AmE sképtic doubter

sépulchre *sépulker

sërf peasant = sürf sea

sergeant *sàrjent = Sergeant = Sàrgent persons = serjeant -at-àrms

sêrial TV = cêreal breakfast

sêries *sêríz

sêrious cf. Sýria, Sírius

sërmon church = Sürman John

sërve cf. sürvèy noun, *sërvây; survèy verb

sërvíce *sërvíss, cf. sürface, -físs, minimal pair, only one sound different

sesquipedâlian

sétback noun one word

sétt badger = sét non-badger

Sèumas Shây-

séver cut

sevêre tough

Sévern river BrE = séven number

sew thread = sô thus = sôw seed, cf. sòw pig

seŵer pipe

sewer sew = sôwer seed

séxìêst -ìyíst most

séxíst sexism

sextét

Seychélles *Sây shélls

shâde

shádow

Shâkespêare cf. shâke and spêar

shâky

shallót

shâman

shâme

*Shâmus Seâmus

shàrd

shãre divide makes a minimal pair with chãir seat

shãreholder one word

Sharìa

shêar cut = shêer absolute

shéd noun and verb

*shédule schédule

shèikh Arabia - kh sound, or = shâke rattle

Shêila

shéllfish cf. sélfish

shenánigans - no double letters

shépherd *shépperd = Shépherd = Shéphard = Shépheard persons

shërd

shériff *shérrif

shh: any number of further h’s can be added

Shìa can sound like BrE shêer

shíbboleth

shín = first part of Sínn Fèin (Sinn Féin)

Shïrley

Shìîte: no apostrophe or hyphen

shoe foot = shoô away, as in shoô-ín

shóne

shoô-in noun one word; *shoe-ín

shoôt bang = chûte fall

shôre sea BrE = Shåw person and often = sûre certain

shŏrn shear BrE = Shåun, Seån persons

shŏrtcoming one word

shŏrtlist finalists cf. a shŏrt líst not long

Shostakôvich

shoùld *shoòd, rhyming with goòd

shôulder rhymes with côlder

shôwbiz one word

shôwcase one word, cf. bàsket câse

shrápnel

Shreŵsbury *Shroôzbry or, more commonly, *Shrôzbry

Shrì alternative spelling of Srì - but not in Srì Lánka

shrúg

shŷ

shŷlỳ

Siàn *Shàn, cf. Shåwn = Shåun = Seån

Sibêria - Sî-

síbling

síbyllîne - y as schwa

Sícily island = Cícely person

sidêreal

sìêge cf. sêize

síeve *sív, cf. sêize

Siérra Leône

Siérra Leônean

sîgh breath = Cŷ person = psî Greek

sîghed sigh = sîde beside

sîght see = sîte place = cîte quote

sîgn signal = sîne mathematics

sígnal, g pronounced

sígnature, g pronounced

sîgnpost *sînepôst

Sìkh religion = sêek find

símilê cf. símilar, smîle

Sîmon

simultâneous BrE sí-, AmE sî-

Sînaî

Sinàtra

síneŵ

síng song = Síngh person

Singapŏre

Singapŏrean

síngeing singe -njing, cf. sínging sing, ng sound (twice)

sínger: síng + -er, cf. síngeing

singlemîndedly

Sínn Fèin *Shín Fâin (Irish: Sinn Féin)

Siobhån, with many variant spellings, *Shivåwn

sîphon or sŷphon

sïr - but Sir before a man’s name is not stressed and has the schwa sound: *Sə(r) Jóhn Fålstaff

Sïrte = cërt, or Sírte

sîte place = cîte quote

sîting site

sítting sit

situâtion - sí-, cf. citâtion, cî-

sîze cf. sêize

sîzeable or sîzable

sîzem- seîsmic, seismólogy, etc.

skéleton bones, cf. Skélton

skì snow, cf. skŷ above

skìed, skìer ski

skîed, skîer sky

skìíng

skïrmish

skïrt

skîve

skuldúggery, skulldúggery

skúll head = scúll oar

skúll-cap hyphenated

skŷscrâper one word

slág cf. Glénda Slágg

slây kill = slèigh snow

slêaze cf. plêase, which rhymes, and grêase greasy = Grêece Greek

slêeve cf. lêave

slêek rhymes with chìc

sleîght-of-hand: some say slâte

sleûth

sleŵ

slîght little, slur = sleîght-of-hand

*slîly (though drîly is an alternative form of drŷly)

slípshod no hyphen

slôth

slòugh swamp *slòu = Slòugh town, cf. slôw fast

sloúgh skin *slúff

Slôvák

Slovákia BrE; AmE Slovàkia

slúg

slür

slŷ

slŷlỳ

smållpox one word

smélt smell, metal, fish

smídgen or smídgin cf. pídgin

smôkescreen one word

Smŷth = Smŷthe, voiced th, cf. Smíth = smíth, unvoiced th

snêeze

snóbbery

snoô- - all such words have this sound

snoôty cf. soòty

snoôze

snôwmobìle cf. môbîle

snôwstorm

sŏar up = sŏre hurt

sôber cf. BrE sómbre AmE sómber

sóbriquèt *sóbrikây

sóccer *sócker

sôcial sôsh-

sôcialism

sociólogy sôsh-

sociológical

sóck cf. sóccer

sóckpuppet is usually one word

Sófia Bulgaria cf. Sôphia person

sóften *sóffen

sóftwãre

sólace *sóllis, cf. Hóllis

sôldier *sôljer, cf. cŏrdial, as spelt

sôle only, fish = sôul spirit = Seôul Korea

sólemn *sóllum

solémnity, n sounded

sólipsism

solitãire patience cf. sólitary alone

sôlo

Sólomon - all o’s

sómbre BrE; AmE sómber; cf. sôber

sòme any = súm total

sòmeday future one word

sòmehòw one word

sòmeone *súmwún, one word

sòmersåult cf. súmmer

Sòmerville cf. súmmer

sòmething cf. sòme thíngs

sòmetime adjective, adverb (the sòmetime gòvernor, Î'll do ít sòmetime), otherwise two words (at sòme tîme)

sòmeẁhat one word

sônàr

sóngwrîter one word

soôn

soòt

soôthe

sŏre pain = sŏar rise, BrE = såw see

sortiê

sótto vôcè *sótto vôchâi, may be italicised

sŏught seek BrE = sŏrt type

sôul spirit = sôle only, fish = Seôul Korea

sòundbite one word

soûpçon *soûpsón

sŏurce origin BrE = såuce seasoning

Soûsa (though the original Portuguese name has a sound more like ô)

soûsaphone sûza-

sòuth unvoiced th, *sòwth; compound forms may be one word or hyphenated, but not two words: southêast or sòuth-êast, southwést or sòuth-wést

soúthern voiced th, *súdhern

Soúthwark voiced th, *Súdhək

soûvenìr *sûvenêer

sóvereign *sóvrin

sóvereignty *sóvrənty

Sóviet seems to be the more common post-Sôviet pronunciation; -ìət

sôw seed = sô therefore = sew cloth, cf. sòw

sòw pig

Sowétô, from Sòuth-Wést(ern) Tòwnships

sŏya bean = Såwyer person = såwyer saw

spà town BrE = spàr fight

spâte flood, many = Spêight person

spây

spâceship one word

Spániard

Spánish

Spâin

spêak cf. spêech

spêcíes *spêeshiz

spécimen

spéctre BrE; AmE spécter = Spéctor person

spêech cf. spêak

Spéncer usual = Spénser poet

spìêl *shpêel

spíllage -íj

spínach *spínij, *spínnage, cf. spíllage

spîral

spôkesperson one word

spótlîght -lîte, one word

sprêe

sprîghtly *sprîtely

*sprîly (though drîly is an alternative form of drŷly)

sprîte

sprŷ

sprŷly

spŷ

sqùander

sqùalour BrE; AmE squàlor

squåwk

squêamish

Srébrenice *Srébrənítzə

Srì Lánka can be pronounced, but not spelt, Shr-

St. *Sənt: abbreviation of Sâint before a name as in St. Màrk; St. Jóhn as a secular and/or personal name may be *Sínjən

stâbilise

stâble stability, horse

stâgefright *stâjefrîte, one word

stâid old-fashioned = stâyed stay

stâin mark = Stèyn person, cf. Steîn

stãir up = stãre look cf. stàr

stâke bet, wooden = steâk meat

ståll

stålwart

stànch flow

Stánsted Ãirport

stàr sky, film = Stàrr

stãre look = stãir climb

stãring stare

stàrring star

stâteside one word

stâtionary motionless = stâtionery paper

stâtist

statístics

státistícian -shn

státutory

ståunch support

stây

stâyed stay = stâid old-fashioned

stéad cf. stéady, stêed

steâk meat = stâke bet, wooden, cf. strêak line

stêal thieve = stêel metal

stéalth

sténch

stép walk = stéppe plain

stépfàther, stépmòther, etc., each one word

Stéphanie, Stéf-, and not usually with a second 'e', unlike...

Stêphen = Stêven, both pronounced -v-

stérilise

stërling currency = Stïrling Scotland = Stërling, Stïrling persons

steŵard

Steŵart person = Stûart person: one is more likely to meet a Stûart Steŵart than the reverse

stíck

stîfle

stígma

stíll

stíng

stíngy -njy

stínk

stîpend

Stïrling see stërling

stítch

St. Jóhn in most cases *Sənt-Jón, in a few *Sínjən

St. Morítz *Sán Mərítts

stôíc -k

stôícism -s-

stôny

stópôver noun, adjective

stŏre shop = Stŏrr person

stŏrey BrE floor = stŏry tale, AmE floor

stŏry-télling

Stŏrmont

St. Pêtersburg

strâight direct = strâit narrow

strâight awây two words

straightfŏrward adjective one word, no hyphen

strâight-lâced or strâit-lâced

strâitjacket

strâits dire, Dire Straits

Stranràer

Strásböurg, Strásbŏurg Stráz-

stràta BrE; AmE strâta = BrE strâighter

strátegem

stratêgic

strátegist

strátegy

stràtum AmE strâtum

stråw mán two words

strêamlined one word

Stréatham London = Strétham Cambridgeshire *Strétəm

strénuous

streŵ

streŵed

streŵn

strîve

stríven

strômuhr

strôve

strýchnìne *strícknêen

Stûart person = Steŵart person - the Scottish royals were Stûarts but Stûart is more common as a given name, Steŵart more as a family name

stúbborn

stúcco

stûdent

stúdy

stûpid

stûpor *stûper, *stûpour

stŷ pig = stŷ or stŷe eye

stŷle mode = stîle field

stŷmie cf. slîmy

Stýx river = stícks stick

suàve swà-

súb can be a word in its own right, but only as an abbreviation (itself a súbstitute), meaning for example sub-édit, sub-éditor, submarìne, or indeed substitûte; far more often though it is attached to the following word, with or without a hyphen; and there is also the Latin legal expression súb jûdicê

súbfúsc

súbjugate

submarìne

submáriner

submít

subŏrn

subpoêna BrE; AmE -pê-

subsîdence

súbsídy

substántial -shəl

súbtitle

súbtle = Súttle person, cf. súpple

succêed -x-

succéss -x-

succínct -x-

súccour help = súcker fool

succúmb -úm

súch so = Sútch person

Sudān cf. sedán

sûe law = Sûe Susan = Sioûx American; cf. diminutives Sûsie, Sûzy, etc. = Sioûxsie Banshees; words beginning soô- and soû- also have this sound

suède material = swâyed sway

Sûez *Soôwíz

suffîce

súffocâte

Súffolk -fək

súffrage cf. súffer

sùgar shù-

suicîdal

sûit wear, cards *sût - or *syût (more common in inflected versions such as unsûitable), cf. soòt black

suìte rooms, music = swêet confection

súlphur BrE; AmE súlfur

súm arithmetic = sòme others

súmmary summarise = súmmery summer

sún star = sòn offspring *sunàmi tsunàmi

súndae ice-cream = Súnday day

súnglasses one word

Sùnni Muslim cf. súnny weather; some AmE speakers say Sûnni *Soôny

súnny sun = sònny son

sûper cf. súpper

sûper-rích: hyphen avoids apparent ‘supérrich’

supercílious

supërfluous

superflûity

sûpermarket one word

sûpermodel one word

supersêde cf. precêde, intercêde

súpper

súpple *súpəl, rhyming with coúple, cf. súbtle, *sútəl

súpplement -pləmənt

supplŷ provide

súpplỳ supple

suppréss -pp-

sûre AmE *shûre; BrE sůre rhyming with Shåw

sûrety AmE *shûre, BrE *shůrety

sürf sea = sërf peasant

sürface -físs, cf. sërvíce, minimal pair, only one sound different

Surinám or -náme

surmòunt

surrêalism, cf. sêrialism

súrrogacy, -gate

sürplíce clergy ≈ sürplus extra

surprîse -rpr-; not -ize

survèillance -ll-

sürvèy noun

survèy verb

Sûsan -z-, cf. Suzánne, etc.

suscéptible

suspéct verb

súspect person

suspénse AmE and BrE; but see retroalphabetical list for -ence and -ense

sustâin

sústenance

súttee cf. soòty (minimal pair)

svélte

sẁallow throat, bird

sẁamp

sẁan bird = Sẁann person

Sẁansea *Swónzy

sẁansong

swårthy

sẁastika

sẁap = swóp, a chiefly British variant

sẁat fly = swót exam = Swàt Valley

sẁath ridge *swóth (unvoiced th)—but now far more common as the following:

swâth has in the 21st century become the usual spelling (though irregular) of the vogue word swâthe (voiced th: *swâydh) large area or quantity

swéar

swéat perspire

swêde vegetable = Swêde Sweden, cf. suède = swâyed

swêet eat = suìte music, hote

swêetheàrt

swêetshop one word

sweêt-talk verb hyphenated

Swíthin or Swíthun

swŏrd blade *sŏrd, cf. swård turf, swŏre, swŏrn swear, w pronounced in all three

swóp, a chiefly British variant, = sẁap

swót exam = sẁat fly = Swàt Valley

sý- apart from the variant spelling of sîphon, sŷphon, and Sŷracûse

sybarític cf. síbyllîne

sýcamore

*sych- no words begin like this

sýcophánt

Sýdney Australia, person = Sídney person

Sylhét

sýllable

sýllabus

sýlph

symbiótic

sýmbol sign = cýmbal percussion

sýmmetry

symmétrical

sýmptom cf. Símpson

sýnagogue -góg

sýnc, sýnch synchronisation = sínk lower, wash

sýnched, sýnch'd, sýnc'd: past forms of preceding-as-verb

sýndrome

synécdochê -kê

sýnod

Sýracuse America, Sŷracuse Italy

sŷphon or sîphon

syrínge

sýrup

sýsóp

sýstem

systemátic has been largely replaced by...

systémic