Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

float

/floʊt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.94 in modern English

Syllables
float
IPA
/floʊt/
8
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
1
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To be supported by a fluid of greater density (than the object).

Intransitive verb

verb

To be supported by a fluid of greater density (than the object).

Intransitive verb

verb

To cause something to be suspended in a fluid of greater density.

Transitive verb

verb

To be capable of floating.

Intransitive verb

verb

To move in a particular direction with the liquid in which one is floating.

Intransitive verb

verb

To drift or wander aimlessly.

Intransitive verb

verb

To drift gently through the air.

Intransitive verb

verb

To cause to drift gently through the air, to waft.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English floten, from Old English flotian (“to float”), from Proto-West Germanic *flotōn, from Proto-Germanic *flutōną (“to float”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewd-, *plew- (“to float, swim, fly”). Compare flow, fleet.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /floʊt/
  • British English: /fləʊt/

Usage

Inflected Forms

floats (present, singular) floating (participle, present) floated (participle, past) floated (past) floats (plural)

Derived Forms

afloat armfloat defloat firefloat floatability floatable floatant floatboard floatel floater floatie floatless

Phrases

float around float at float like a butterfly float on air float someone's boat float with the stream free-floating my back teeth are floating

Synonyms

ride swim stream initial public offering air bladder swim bladder plasterer's float ice-cream soda ice-cream float

Rhymes With

vote wrote note boat promote quote remote coat throat goat devote afloat

Questions

How do you pronounce float?
The recorded pronunciation is /floʊt/.
What does float mean?
To be supported by a fluid of greater density (than the object).
Where does float come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce float

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