Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

castanet

/ˌkæs.təˈnɛt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.38 in modern English

Syllables
cas-tanet
IPA
/ˌkæs.təˈnɛt/
10
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A single handheld percussion instrument consisting of a pair of concave shells or shell-shaped parts joined on one edge by string.

Etymology

From Spanish castañeta, diminutive form of castaña, from Latin castanea, from Ancient Greek καστάνεια (kastáneia, “chestnut”), possibly of Pre-Greek origin. Related to the chest in chestnut, formerly chesten.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌkæs.təˈnɛt/
  • British English: /ˌkæs.təˈnɛt/

Inflected Forms

castanets (plural)

Derived Forms

castanetist

Frequently Paired Words

chestnut

Questions

How do you pronounce castanet?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌkæs.təˈnɛt/.
What does castanet mean?
A single handheld percussion instrument consisting of a pair of concave shells or shell-shaped parts joined on one edge by string.
Where does castanet come from?
It is traced to Spanish.

How to pronounce castanet

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