English spellings/Catalogs/C
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| 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]
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
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, cf. 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
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 say -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
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
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)
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-
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