Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

caravanserai

/ˌkɛɹəˈvænsəˌɹaɪ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.64 in modern English

Syllables
ca-ra-van-ser-ai
IPA
/ˌkɛɹəˈvænsəˌɹaɪ/
17
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
5
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A place resembling a caravanserai (sense 1) as being a place for resting temporarily, or a meeting place (especially one that is busy, or where people of different cultures encounter each other).

noun

Synonym of caravan (“a convoy of travellers, their cargo and vehicles, and pack animals”).

noun

A hostelry, an inn; also (humorous), an (upscale) hotel.

Archaic

Example Sentences

Etymology

Borrowed either: * from Middle French carvansera, carvassera (modern French caravansérail, carauanserrail (obsolete), caravansara (obsolete)); or * directly from its etymon Ottoman Turkish كاروانسَرای (karvanseray), كَروانسَرای (kervanseray) (modern Turkish kervansaray), from Old Anatolian Turkish [script needed] (kārvān-serā); or * directly from its etymon Persian کاروانسرای (kârvânsarây), from کاروان (kârvân, “caravan; convoy”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ker- (“army”)) + سرای (sarây, “courtyard, hall; dwelling, house; inn; mansion, palace”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *terh₂- (“to cross over; to pass through; to overcome”). Cognates * Dutch karavanserai, carewansera (obsolete) * German Karawanserei, Caravansera (obsolete) * Italian caravanserraglio, carvasarà (obsolete), carvanserà (obsolete) * Portuguese caravançará, caravançarai * Spanish caravasar

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *ker-, carvansera, كاروانسَرای, کاروانسرای, *terh₂-

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌkɛɹəˈvænsəˌɹaɪ/
  • British English: /ˌkæɹəˈvænsəɹaɪ/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Questions

How do you pronounce caravanserai?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌkɛɹəˈvænsəˌɹaɪ/.
What does caravanserai mean?
A roadside inn, usually having a central courtyard where caravans (see sense 3) can rest, providing accommodation for travellers along trade routes in Asia and North Africa.
Where does caravanserai come from?
It is traced to Middle French.

How to pronounce caravanserai

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “caravanserai”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌkɛɹəˈvænsəˌɹaɪ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “caravanserai”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “caravanserai” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.