Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

second hand

/ˌsɛkənd ˈhænd/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.20 in modern English

Syllables: sec-ond -hand
IPA: /ˌsɛkənd ˈhænd/

17

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

3

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Alternative form of secondhand.

noun

An intermediate person or means; intermediary.

noun

On the clock face of a clock or watch, the hand (pointer) that shows the number of seconds that have passed.

Example Sentences

"“My Lord Oxford, by a second hand, proposed my being his chaplain, which I, by a second hand, excused."
"Under certain circumstances there is always a danger in a young man's playing the benefactor towards the other sex, in his own person. A thousand times better do it by a second hand — engage the services of some kind aunt or female cousin."
"... the ticking of a second hand. Tick, tick, tick. The clock. Jude wrenched himself free of his gift's trance, surprised that there wasn't a tearing sound when his hand came free of the doubloon. The visions fell away, and he felt his ..."

Etymology

second (ordinal) + hand (“party”)

Inflected Forms

secondhand (alternative) second-hand (alternative) second hands (plural)

Phrases

at second hand tick-tock

Frequently Paired Words

at second hand sweeping ticking tick-tock minute hand hour hand

Questions

How do you pronounce second hand?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌsɛkənd ˈhænd/.
What does second hand mean?: Alternative form of secondhand.
Where does second hand come from?: second (ordinal) + hand (“party”)

How to pronounce second hand

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