Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

afloat

/əˈfloʊt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.33 in modern English

Syllables: afloat
IPA: /əˈfloʊt/

9

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

In or into a state of floating.

adv

In, or while in, a vessel at sea or on another body of water; at sea.

adv

Under water (bearing floating objects).

adv

In or into circulation or currency.

adv

In or into a condition of stimulation, arousal, confusion, bewilderment, etc.

Obsolete

adj

adj

In, or found while in, a vessel at sea or on another body of water.

adj

Floating in the air; flowing freely; not tied, braided, etc. (of hair or clothing)

Example Sentences

"You have so little Brains, that a Penn’orth of Butter melted under ’um, would set ’um afloat:"
"[…] I went down to my Boat, got the Water out of her, and got her afloat, loaded all my Cargo in her, and then went Home again for more;"
"Oh why is heaven built so far, / Oh why is earth set so remote? / I cannot reach the nearest star / That hangs afloat."
"[…] that trade […] may likewise employ many useful hands both ashore and afloat,"
"They was the roughest crew afloat, was Flint’s; the devil himself would have been feared to go to sea with them."
"Navy chow ashore is rarely as good as it is afloat, and for enlisted men it is usually much worse."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Hellenic *ə- Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-)der. English a- English float English afloat From a- + float.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /əˈfloʊt/
British English: /əˈfləʊt/

Usage

Obsolete

Synonyms

awash at sea flooded alive on one's feet solvent circulating in circulation current bewildered confused distracted

Antonyms

ashore bankrupt insolvent

Rhymes With

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

Questions

How do you pronounce afloat?: The recorded pronunciation is /əˈfloʊt/.
What does afloat mean?: In or into a state of floating.
Where does afloat come from?: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Hellenic *ə- Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-)der. English a- English float English afloat From a- + float.

How to pronounce afloat

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