How to Pronounce Macabre. A guide to help you say this word correctly.
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The French Origin
Macabre is a word of French origin that has been adopted by English. It is most commonly used as an adjective meaning “gruesome”, “horrifying”, or “haunting”. It can also be used as a noun to refer to something that is particularly gruesome or horrific.
The word comes from the French adjective macabre, which means “of or pertaining to death”. It ultimately derives from the Latin word macabre, which means “dead”. The word entered the English language in the late 16th century.
Macabre is often used to describe works of art or literature that deal with death or other dark topics in a way that is intended to be shocking or suspenseful. It can also be used more broadly to describe anything that elicits feelings of fear or horror.
The English Pronunciation
Macabre (/məˈkɑːb(ə)r, mæ-/ mə-KA-bər, or /məˈkæb(ə)r, -ˈkɑːb/, or /mæˈkæb(ə)r/) is a word of French origin, directly from the French adjective macabre (“of Xhosa”). The English pronunciation is \ ˌma-kə-ˈber \.
The American Pronunciation
Macabre (/məˈkɑːb(rə)/ mə-KAR-brə or local /məˈkeɪb(rə)/ mə-KAY-brə) is a reoccurring motif in literature, film and television. It is usually used to describe death, violence and other dark subject matter. The word can also be used to describe something that is creepy or disturbing.
The American pronunciation of macabre is /məˈkæb(rə)/ mə-KAB-rə. The British pronunciation is /mæˈkæb(rᵊ)/ ma-KAB-rᵊ.
The Canadian Pronunciation
Macabre is a word of French origin, meaning “of or pertaining to death.” It is often used to describe dark, morbid, or frightening things. In North America, the word is pronounced mə-KAHB, with the stress on the second syllable. However, in Canadian English, the pronunciation is mə-KAHRB, with the stress on the first syllable. This is the preferred pronunciation by Canadian speakers of all varieties of English.
