How to Pronounce “apricot”: British vs American vs Australian
Dialect Analysis & Sound Shift
US says ⁄ˈeɪ.prɪ.kɑːt⁄ (AY-pri-cot); UK and Australia frequently say ⁄ˈæp.rɪ.kɒt⁄ (AP-ri-cot).
Linguistic Feature: Vowel ContrastsAmerican English (US)
⁄ˈeɪ.prɪ.kɑːt⁄
Diphthong ⁄eɪ⁄
British English (UK)
⁄ˈæp.rɪ.kɒt⁄
Short ⁄æ⁄ predominant in modern UK, though ⁄eɪ⁄ also exists
Australian English (AUS)
⁄ˈeɪ.prɪ.kɔt⁄
Both ⁄eɪ⁄ and ⁄æ⁄ widely heard
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105 native video clipsAccent Battle: Which pronunciation do you prefer for "apricot"?
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Dialect Analysis & Sound Shift: “apricot”
The divergence comes from whether the initial syllable underwent trisyllabic shortening or preserved the long "a".
Frequently Asked Questions: "Apricot" Accent Differences
How do Americans and Britons pronounce "apricot" differently?
The divergence comes from whether the initial syllable underwent trisyllabic shortening or preserved the long "a".
Which English accent is considered the standard for "apricot"?
Neither is universally superior. General American (GA) is the predominant broadcast standard in North America, while Received Pronunciation (RP) / BBC English is standard across the UK and widely taught across Europe.
How does Australian pronunciation of "apricot" compare to British and American?
Both ⁄eɪ⁄ and ⁄æ⁄ widely heard
How can I practice switching between US and UK pronunciations for "apricot"?
Watch native video clips back-to-back using SayItVid's comparison player. Pay close attention to mouth positioning, vowel length, and whether the final or post-vocalic /r/ sound is pronounced.