Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

suave

/swɑv/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.90 in modern English

Syllables
suave
IPA
/swɑv/
8
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
1
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Of a person, charming, though often in a manner that is insincere or sophisticated.

adj

Displaying smoothness and sophistication.

adj

Gracious, kind.

noun

sweet-talk

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English suave, borrowed from Latin suāvis (“sweet, pleasant”); doublet of sweet. First attested in the early 15th century.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *sweh₂d-, suave, suāvis

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /swɑv/
  • British English: /swɑːv/

Inflected Forms

suaver (comparative) suavest (superlative) suaves (plural)

Derived Forms

outsuave suavely suaveness suavify unsuave

Synonyms

politic smooth bland debonair debonaire debonnaire

Rhymes With

salve slav dov mav skov grave halve calve zouave gave save they've

Questions

How do you pronounce suave?
The recorded pronunciation is /swɑv/.
What does suave mean?
Of a person, charming, though often in a manner that is insincere or sophisticated.
Where does suave come from?
It is traced to Middle English. First known use: First attested in the early 15th century.

How to pronounce suave

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