Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

neil

/niːl/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.16 in modern English

Syllables: neil
IPA: /niːl/

4

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

1

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

name

A male given name from Irish.

name

A surname from Irish derived from the given name.

Example Sentences

"So now that the Republicans have used the nuclear option to kill the poor filibuster to clear the way for the elevation of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, we can lose perspective."

Etymology

Anglicized form of Goidelic/Irish Niall. Doublet of Niall.

Origin

Source language: Irish

Word Breakdown

Root: Niall

Inflected Forms

Neal (alternative) Neale (alternative) Neill (alternative)

Derived Forms

Neilson Nelson

Phrases

Kincardine O'Neil

Homonyms

kneel Neal Niel neale

Rhymes With

feel real deal we'll steel appeal wheel meal ideal reveal steal seal

Questions

How do you pronounce neil?: The recorded pronunciation is /niːl/.
What does neil mean?: A male given name from Irish.
Where does neil come from?: It is traced to Irish.

How to pronounce neil

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