Pronunciation Guide • English (from Italian)
How to Pronounce machiavellian
Difficulty: hard
IPA Transcription
/ˌmækiəˈvɛliən/
Why is it so hard to pronounce?
mack-ee-uh-VEL-ee-un. Six syllables. The "ch" sounds like /k/ (Italian pronunciation). Stress on the fifth syllable "vel". Named after the Florentine political philosopher.
💡 Pro Tip for machiavellian
mack-ee-uh-VEL-ee-un. The CH sounds like K — it's Italian. Break it: MACK + ee + uh + VEL + ee + un.
Listen to the Native Audio
To hear the exact pronunciation of machiavellian by a native speaker, use the Pronouncer engine below.
Hear 'machiavellian' Audio Now →Word Origins
The term machiavellian originates from Named after Niccolò Machiavelli. Understanding its etymology helps explain why it breaks standard pronunciation rules.