Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

shanty

/ˈʃænti/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.75 in modern English

Syllables
shan-ty
IPA
/ˈʃænti/
12
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A roughly-built hut or cabin.

noun

An unlicensed pub.

Australian usage; New Zealand usage

adj

Living in shanties; poor, ill-mannered and violent.

American usage; Derogatory

verb

To inhabit a shanty.

adj

Jaunty; showy.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Canadian French chantier (“lumberjack's headquarters”). An alternative theory that the word derives from Irish seantí (meaning "old house") is not considered likely by lexicologists. * (unlicensed pub): New Zealand from 1848.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: chantier, chantez

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce shanty?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈʃænti/.
What does shanty mean?
A roughly-built hut or cabin.
Where does shanty come from?
It is traced to French.

How to pronounce shanty

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