Proper Pronunciation Guide

picayune

[ˏpɪ kə jun]

Tips:

  • Pronounce the letter “i” as the short vowel
    /ɪ/ —like the vowel in the word “sit”—and give it a minor stress.
  • Pronounce the letter “a” as the weak schwa vowel
    /ə/.
  • Pronounce the letter “u” like the name of the letter itself—
    /ju/—and give it the major stress.

Practice Sentence:

 She felt that his criticisms of her speech were picayune.

Definition:

  • (adjective) Petty, small, insignificant.

Notes:

The rhythm of this word—with its minor stress on the first syllable and its major stress on the third syllable—is similar to the phrase “Pick a tune.” Eliminating the “t” produces “Pick a Yun,” which is the pronunciation of this word. The phrase “pick a tune” can aid in remembering how to pronounce “picayune.”

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