English spellings/Catalogs/C

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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 C. 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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C = sêe look

cabál makes a minimal pair with kebáb; cf. câble

cáche arms = cásh money

cadét

Cadíz is the traditional English pronunciation, though the Spanish stresses the first syllable

càdrê AmE, BrE *càdə

cáddie golf = cáddy tea

cáfè can be written with a French accent: café *cáfây

cáfè au lâit can be written with a French accent: café au lait *cáfâyô-lây

cáffêine

cãirn

Caîro *Kŷro

Caìus Cambridge = kêys lock; otherwise regularly Caîus, rhyming with its variant Gaîus

Cálâis *Cállay

Calcútta

Caledônia

cálendar is not spelt -er, cf. còlander

Cálgary *Cálgəri

Califŏrnia -nyə

cåll name, phone, shout = cåul birth, cf. Cál person

Cállaghán: silent g, *Cállahán

callígraphy -ll-, cf. Calígula

Callîopê = Kallîopê = Kallîopi

cállous uncaring = cállus skin ≈ Cállas Maria (or Cállás)

càlm -àm, BrE and AmE

Câmbridge

camêllia or caméllia cf. chamaêleon *camêliən

cámera

cameráderie

Cámeron

Cameroôn

cámouflàge -àzh

campâign *campâin, cf. champâgne *shám-pâin, and words in -èign, all of which rhyme

Cámpbell *Cámble, rhyming with gámble

cán able, tin = Cánnes France

cán nót: see cánnot

Cânaan *Câynən, aa as schwa

Cánada

Canâdian

canál

cánapè cf. cánopy

canãry

canásta

Cánberra -bərə, BrE *Cámborough

cáncer illness = Cáncer constellation

cándidate BrE -ət, AmE -âte (unsurprisingly, the AmE version is common among British broadcasters)

câne stick, sugar = Câin Abel

cánister: one n

cánnabis

cánnibal rhymes with Hánnibal

cánnon = cánon

cannót; or cánnot for emphasis, but always one word when (as it almost always is) nót is modifying cán, cf. ít cán nót ônly…but ålsô…; cf. contracted form cān't

canoe -noô

cánon church, œuvre, music = cánnon war

cánopy cf. cánapè

cánt cliche = Kánt philosopher = AmE cán’t impossible

cantàta

cánvas paint, tent = cánvass election

cányon cf. ònion, both -yən

câpable

Câpe Tòwn, two words, first stressed as if it were one, *Câpetown

Câpe Vërde or Câpe Vërdê

capíllary BrE; AmE cápillãry

cápital city = cápitol legislature = Cápitol Washington

capítulate

cappuccìno -chêeno

cáptain -ptin

cáption -pshn

Cápricorn

càr vehicle = Càrr = Kàrr persons

*cáracter is spelt cháracter; cf. cáricature

càr-lôad noun

cárapâce

cárat gold = cárrot food

càrbon dióxîde

càrcass body cf. Carácas

cãre

cãrefree one word

carêer profession, speed BrE = Korêa country, cf. cárrier carry

cãrer

Cãrey = Cãry cf. Kérry (minimal pair)

Cáríbbêan *Cárri-bêeən is the usual pronunciation outside the area, where some say *Cəríbbêən, and Rŏyal Caríbbean is normal

cáricature cf. cháracter, both k-

Carlîsle city, person = Carlŷle person

Càrnaby

Carnègiê hard g (though one often hears it echoing the stress pattern of Càrnaby)

càrnivore

Cárolîne

Cárolýn

caròusal carouse *cəròuzəl

carousél round *carəssél

cárrom or cárom

cárry bring = Cárrie person

càrt horse = kàrt race

cartél

càrton

cartoôn cf. Khartoûm, minimal pair: n and m only different sounds

cásh money = cáche weapons

cashìer *cashêer

cáshmêre wool = Kashmìr Asia

cassàva

cāst drama, throw, eye = cāste India

Castílian cf. Castìlle

cāstle -ssl

cásual cf. cåusal

cásualty

cát animal = qát drug

Cátalan

Catalônia; ‘Catalunya’ is Catalan

catàrrh *catàr, cf. Qátar

catástrophê

catastróphic

cátchphrase probably one word more common than cátch phrâse

Câte Blanchett; but Kâte is the usual spelling of this abbreviation of Cátherine/Kátharine etc.

cátegory

câter

cáterpillar

Cátheríne is the most common spelling; also K-, -thar-

cáttle cows cf. kéttle boil (minimal pair)

cåucus rhymes with råucous

cåught catch = BrE cŏurt tennis, law

cåul birth = cåll name, phone, shout

cåuldron or cåldron

cauliflòur *cóllyflower

cåuse reason -z = BrE Cŏrrs persons, cf. cŏurse -ss, cf. because *bicóz, ’cós because *cóz

cause celébre can have French accents: cause célèbre *côz-celébrə

cavalìêr

cávêát (or a as schwa)

Câyman Islands

ce- mostly s-

cêase stop *sêess, cf. sêize hold

cêased rhymes and makes a minimal pair with êast

cêasefîre (no need to hyphenate)

cêde yield = sêed plant

cèilidh *kâlêy

cêiling floor = sêaling shutting

célebrâte s-

celébrity s-

célibate s-

céll prison, biology = séll money

céllar wine = séller sales

céllo tch-

céllophane s-, cf. sêal, séllotape

Céltic or céltic civilisation K-; Céltic football club S-

cémetery BrE -try, AmE -téry: not spelt -ary

cénsor censorship = sénsor feel ≈ cénsure blame

cént money = sént send = scént perfume

céntral s-

céntre s- BrE, AmE cénter

céntre-léft, céntre-rîght politics, hyphen

centrífugal or céntrifugal

centrípetal

céntrist s-

céntury is not automatically capitalised after an ordinal: 20th céntury

cêreal cornflakes = sêrial series

cérebral s- BrE; AmE cerêbral

Cêrês planet makes a minimal pair with sêríes string, or Céres, cf. Sírius star

céremony s-

cërvical s- (some say cervîcal)

cesãrian cf. Caêsar, both s-

césspit one word

césspool one word

cf. compare *cêe-éff

ch- tch- unless otherwise stated; sh-, often from French, where stated

chà tea

chà-chà or cha-cha-chà dance

Chádian *Cháddian

chádŏr

chãir sit = Chér person, making a minimal pair with shãre divide

chaise lóngue *shézz-lóng

chágrín sh- BrE; AmE *shəgrêen

chamaêleon k-; AmE -mêl- = Chamaêleon constellation, cf. camêlia, where -n is the only extra sound (a minimal pair)

châmber cf. Châmbers person

chámois *shámwà

champâgne *shámpâin makes a minimal pair with campâign *cámpâin (no capital c for the drink in BrE)

chāncellor

chandelìêr sh-

Chandrasèkhar is much more common than Chandrasèkar

chánnel rhymes with pánel, cf. Chanél, Channél persons, both sh-

châós *kâyóss

chápel church = Cháppell person

cháperôn sh-

chàplain church = Cháplin person

chárabanc *shárabang, cf. shebáng

charàde sh- BrE; AmE charâde

cháracter cf. cáricature, both k-

Cháring Cróss

charivàri sh-

chàrlatan sh-

Chàrlotte Sh-

chãry cf. chãir

Charýbdis *Kəríbdiss

chásm *kázzəm

chássis *shássy

châste virgin = châsed chase

Chátham -təm

chauffëur *shô-fër

chauvinist shô-

chêap cost = chêep bird

chêapskâte one word

chêat

Chéchnya

chéckered

chéckers = Chéquers

chéckpoint one word

chêek cf. chíck

chêetah

chéf sh-, cf. chìêf, ch sound: tch-

Chélsêa *Tchélsì

chémistry k-

Chèney

chéque BrE money = chéck verify, AmE money = Czéch nationality

Chernóbyl

Cherokêe

chérry-píck

chérub

cherúbic

chévron sh-

cheŵ cf. words beginning tû-, which can have the same tch- sound, e.g. tûbe

*chewítion tuítion

Cheyenne *Shŷ Ánn

chèz *shây

chìc sh-

Chicàgo Shí-, à sound in both BrE and AmE

chíck

chíckpêa one word or two

chìêf tch-, cf. chéf, sh-

chihuàhua *tchiwàwa

chîld singular

chîldbïrth one word

chíldren plural

Chílê country = chílì or (mostly BrE) chíllì bean = chílly cold

Chílean *Tchíllian (some say "Tchilâyan", perhaps in homage to the Spanish Chileno)

chimêra kî-

chímney

chimpanzêe

Chîna country = chîna crockery

chîropractic k-, first syllable = Caîro

chirópody k-

chïrp

Chíswick *Tchízzick

chívalry sh-

chívy or chívvy

chlamýdia kl-

Chlôê *Klôwie

chlóroform kl-

chóc chocolate = chóck wedge

chóck-a-blóck

choîr singers = quîre paper

chólera k-, cf. cóllar (minimal pair)

choléstorol k-

choôse select = cheŵs masticates

chŏral k-

chorāle chorus = corrāl animals

chŏrd music = cŏrd rope, vocal

chŏrus k-

chòw dog, food = ciàô goodbye

chòw miên

chr- kr- (words that sound as if they begin 'chr-' may begin tr-)

Chrîst Kr-

chrísten *kríssen

Chrístian *Kríshtchən or *Krístchen cf. crýstal

Christiáne *Kristiánn

Chrístmas *Kríssməss

Chrístopher *Krístəfər

chrôme kr-

chrónic kr-

chrýsalis kríss-

chrysánthemum kríz-

chthônian, chthónic, kth-, th-

chürch

chürn

chûte fall = shoôt gun

chútzpah *hùtspə, cf. Hótspur

ci- s-

ciàô goodbye = chòw dog, food

Cícely person = Sícily Italy

cîder

cigàr

címbalóm is perhaps the most common of several spellings, cf. cýmbal

Cincinnáti

cínema

cínnamon

Cínque Ports = sínk wash, down

cïr-

cïrcle

cïrcuit *sërkit

circûítous

cïrcumcîse

circumcísion -zhən

circúmference cf. interfêrence

cïrcumstance

císsy weak = Císsy person = síssy weak

citâtion cf. situâtion

cîte quote = sîght see = sîte place

cítizen

Citizéndium

Cítroen ™ car = cítron lemon, making minimal pairs with cítrous

cíty

cívil

civílian: one l

Clãir = Clãire = Clãre

clámour BrE; AmE clámor

clámpdown noun one word

clándestîne; some say clandéstíne

clánger has the normal ng sound, rhyming with hánger, cf. ánger, *áng-ger, dânger, -njer

Clápham London = cláp ’em clap them

cláptrap one word

Clãre = Clãir = Clãire

cláret

clárify

clárity

clássical music is not capitalised when referring to any period; only Clássical when referring particularly to the period between Baroque and Romantic (and not necessarily music)

clāssroom one word

clåuse words = clåws claw = Clåus Santa

claustrophôbia clós-

clêan

cléanliness

cléanse -nz

clêaver cf. cléver

Clêese -z

clërgy

cléric

clërk AmE; BrE = Clàrk = Clàrke persons

clìchè *clêeshây

clîmb up = clîme weather

clìque *clêek, cf. clíck

clóckwörk one word

clôse shut = clôze test; clôse near, cul-de-sac *clôce

clôser more -ss-, clôser end -z-

clóset -z-

clôse-up near, -ss-, cf. clôse up shut, -z-

clóstr- claustrophôbia

clóth unvoiced th

clôthe voiced th

clôthes voiced th

Cloúgh = Clúff

Clŵýd rhymes with flûíd

cô and co = Côe

côach transport, trainer

côal fuel = Côle person

coalésce *côwəl-éss

coalítion *côwəl-íshən

côalman coal = Côleman person

côalmine or côal mîne, but côal mîning is two words

cŏarse crude = cŏurse route, study

côast cf. cóst

côastguard one word or two

côax

cóbra or côbra

cóchineal

Côckburn = Côburn persons

cóck-up

côco tree = côcoa tree, powder, drink

Côco the Clòwn

côconut or côcoanut

cocoôn

côdêine

côdicil

coêlacanth sêel- BrE, AmE cêlacanth

coërce

CofÊ Church of England *sêeyəvêe

cóffee drink = Cóffey = Cóffee persons

cógnac *cónyák

cohábit no hyphen

Côhen *Côwen, rhymes with Ôwen

côhêre

Coìmbra *Quêenborough

côíncidence no hyphen

cojônes *cohôniz

còlander cf. cálendar

Côle person = côal burn

côleslaw is probably more common nowadays than côle slåw

Cólin

colláborate

cóllàge art *cóllàzh, cf. cóllege school *cóllij

collápse

cóllar cf. chólera *cóllara

colléctable BrE, AmE colléctible

cóllier coal = Cóllier, Cólyer

Cóllins

collóssal

collûde

Colôgne Germany = colôgne perfume *kəlôan

Colòmbia country = Colúmbia British, company; some prefer the Spanish -ló-, but there seems little danger of confusion

Colòmbo Sri Lanka = Colúmbo TV series

côlon

cölonel army = kërnel nut

colônial

colonnâde

cólonise

cólony

Coloràdo in both BrE and AmE, Có-

colorâtion or colourâtion cú-

coloratùra

còlour tint cf. cóllar neck

Colúmbia British, commercial = Colòmbia South America

Colúmbus

cólumn *cóllum

cólumnist *cólumist, though some pronounce the n

côma cf. cómma

cômb hair *kôam, cf. còme here (minimal pair)

cómbat noun, verb, combát verb; verb forms -ing and -ed may have one t or two

cómbatant or combátant

còmeback noun, adjective one word

cómedy

comeúppance one word

còmfortable -ft-

comfortably-óff

còming come = Cúmming, cf. Cúmmings, persons

cómma punctuate, cf. côma unconscious

commānd

comménd

cómment

commërcial

commít

commíttee

commûnal

cómmune noun

commûne verb

cómmunism

commûnity

còmpany

compãre contrast cf. cómpére (where French accent can be written: compère) host

cómparable or compárable

compárative

compárison

compàrtment

compássion

cómpensâte

compensâtion

cómpére (or with written French accent compère) show, cf. compãre contrast

complâint complain

cómplement together = cómpliment praise

cómplex BrE; AmE compléx

compléxion not -ct-

complîant comply

cómpóst

cómpromîse pronounced but never written -ize, cf. prómise *prómíss

cómráde, cf. Cónrád (minimal pair), some BrE cómrâde

Cónakry

concêde

concentrâte cf. consént

cóncrete

concatenâtion: e, not i

cóncentrâte cf. consént

concéntric cf. consénsus

cóncept

concéptual

concërtô *cənshërto, *cənshérto

concéssion

cónch shell -nch or -nk

cónch, Cónch Bahamian -nk

concörd

Cóncord

cóncrete

concússion

condémn, cf. dámn, both -m

condemnâtion ends like nâtion

condîgn -dîne

condôlences

cóndom

cóndŏr

condûcíve

cóndûít or -dwít; BrE was once *cóndit or *cúndit, but now regularised

confër

conféss

conféssion -féshən

cónfidànt person BrE -dónt

cónfident adjective -dənt

Confûcian -shən

confûsion -zhən

cónger hard g

cóngeries soft g

cóngruent or congrûent

cóniìne -iì-

cònjure

Cónnåcht *Cónåwt

connéct

Connécticut *Cənétikət

connéction: BrE can be connéxion

connîve

connoissëur: -oi- as schwa: *connəssür

cónquer win = cónker nut

cónquest cf. quést

consciéntious *cónshì-énshəs, *cónshénshəs

cónscious

consénsus cf. consént, cénsus, concéntric

consént cf. concentrâte

cónsequence

consërvative

conservâtion

consigliérê *consíl-yãry

consístent cf. cónstant

cónsôle noun

consôle comfort

consólidate

cónsŏrt noun cf. cóncert, e as schwa

consŏrt verb

conspíracy

conspírator

conspîre

cònstable

constábulary

cónstant cf. consístent

constítuency

consûme -syû-

cónsummate

cóntact noun and verb, cf. cóntract, contráct

contémptible

contént happy

cóntént contain

cóntext

contéxtual

contínûùm -nyû-

cóntoûr

cóntract noun, contráct verb, cf. cóntact

contradíct

cóntra, cf. controvërsial, etc.

cóntrary opposed

contrãry awkward

cóntribûte or contríbûte

contribûtion

*contributer contríbûtor

contrôl

contrôller

controvërsial

cóntrovërsy or contróversy

conúndrum

cónvoy

coòk kitchen = Coòk = Coòke persons

Coômbs = Coômbes *Coûmz

cooperâtion côwóp-, cf. cŏrporation

coóperative côwóp-

Copenhâgen Cô-; or -hàgen

cóps police = Kóp Liverpool

cóp-òut

cóps police = cópse wood

cópy cf. côpe

cópyédit can be one word or two

cópyrîght *cópywrîte: it’s a rîght about writing

córal

cŏr ànglâis *cŏróng-glây

cŏrd vocal, string = chŏrd music

cŏrdon

cŏre apple = cŏrps army

cŏrnerstône one word

coróllary

corôna

córonary

córoner

cŏrporate

cŏrps army = cŏre apple, cf. following

cŏrpse

corrāl AmE animals; BrE = chorāle choral

correspóndence, correspóndent (unlike French, which has -ance, -ant)

corróborate

córrugate BrE; AmE cörrugate

cóst cf. côast

Cósta Rìca

côsy BrE = AmE côzy = Côsey

Côte d'Ivoire (French accent may be retained in English) *Côat-divwàr, also known as Îvory Côast

cóttage -íj

còuch; the surname is, however, Coûch in the names of John Couch Adams and Arthur Quiller-Couch

còuchant

couchétte cûsh-

coûgar *coôger

cóugh *cóff

coùld rhymes with goòd

còuncil committee = còunsel advice

còuncillor

còunt

còunty cf. coúntry

còunterfeít

còunter-productive hyphenated

coúntry *cúntry, cf. còunty and còunt, which begin with the còw sound ("còwntry" is, understandably, a common mispronunciation among foreign learners)

coûp d’état = coô bird

coúple rhymes with súpple (minimal pair)

coúrage; AmE can be cöurage

courâgeous

cŏurse route, study = cŏarse crude, -ss, cf. cåuse, -z, cürse, -s

cŏurt tennis, monarch, woo; BrE = cåught catch

cöurteous

cöurtesy politeness cf. cürtsey bow (minimal pair)

coúsin *cúzzen

Cóvent Gàrden

còver

côvert cf. ovërt

còvet -ít

Còwen = Còwan, minimal pair with Côhen

còws animals = Còwes Isle of Wight, cf. kowtòw

Coŵper = Coôper; or Còwper

Cóx = cócks

cŏyôtê AmE *kîôat

cráckpot noun one word

crâdle

crāft skill = Krāft person

cravát ('cravate' is French)

cråwl ground = Kråll person

crêak noise = crêek water

crêam

crêâte

crêâtion -êâshən

crêature -ch-

créche *crésh, cf. crásh, crúsh (minimal pairs)

crêdence

credéntials

crédibílity

crêed

crêek water = crêak noise

créme can have French accent: crème

créme de menthe can have French accent: crème de menthe *crémdə-mónt

Creôle (êô) = creôle

crêosote

crèpe = crèpe

crescéndo -sh-

créscent *crézzənt, *créssənt

crévíce

crevásse

creŵ ship = Creŵe England

creŵ-cut

Crîchton *Crŷtən

crîme cf. crêam (minimal pair)

críminal

Crimêa *Crî-mêə

críss-cróss, cf. Chrís, cróss

critêrion (plural critêria) crî-

crític

critìque -êek

crôak = Crôke

Crôát *Crôwát

Croâtia *Crôw-âyshə

cróc crocodile = cróck pot, old

crôchet knit *crôshây, cf. crótchet

crócodîle

croissant *kwússón, French nasal -ón

Crómarty

crône

crôny

cróss-examinâtion

cròtch genitals = crútch support

crótchet irritable, music regular pronunciation, cf. crôchèt *crôshây

crûcible

crûcifíxion

crûise -ûz

crúmb -m

crúmble

crúx

crýpt

crýstal, t sounded, cf. whístle, grístle, silent t

cúckold

cùckoô cf. coòk

cûe snooker, theatre = queûe line = Keŵ Gardens

Cûi *QE

cuisìne *quizêen, cf. cóusin *cúzzən

cúl-de-sác

cúlprit

cúm with = còme here

Cúmmings person = còmings and goings

cûneífŏrm rhymes with ûniform

cúpboard rhymes with Húbbard

curaçào *curassòw

cûrate person

curâte museum

cürb stop, street = kërb street

cûre-åll noun, adjective

cûrious

cürly = Cürley

cúrrant eat = cúrrent now, flow BrE; AmE cür-

currículum vìtaê

cürse cf. cŏurse

cürt blunt = Kürt person

cürtsey bow cf. cöurtesy politeness

curvâceous

cürve

cùshion cf. percússion, both -shən

cústard

cústody BrE *cústardy

cútback noun one word

cút-prîce

cy- s-

cýclamen s-

cŷcle s-

cýclical s-

cŷclist s-

cýgnet swan = sígnet ring

cýlinder

cýmbal drums = sýmbol sign

cŷpher or cîpher, cf. decîpher

cŷpress tree = Cŷprus country s-

Cýpriot

cýst s-

cýnic s-

cýnicism

czàr or tsàr *zàr

Czéch nationality = chéck verify = BrE chéque cash