How to pronounce decibel
American English pronunciation
DES-ih-bel
- IPA
- /ˈdɛsɪˌbɛl/
- Syllables
- DES · ih · bel (3 syllables, stress on the 1st)
- Also said
- DES-ih-bul
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What decibel means
A unit for measuring how loud a sound is
In a sentence: A jet engine is so loud that its decibel level can hurt your ears.
Where it comes from: It is made from deci-, meaning one tenth, and bel, a bigger unit for comparing sound levels.
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