How do you pronounce "paternalistic"?

In American English: /pəˌtɝːnəˈlɪstɪk/ (puh-turn-uh-LIST-ik). In British English: /pətˌɜːnəlˈɪstɪk/ (puht-ɜn-uhl-IST-ik). In Canadian English: /pəˌtɝːnəˈlɪstɪk/ (puh-turn-uh-LIST-ik). In Australian English: /pətˌɜːnəlˈɪstɪk/ (puht-ɜn-uhl-IST-ik).

Is "paternalistic" pronounced differently in American and British English?

Yes. In American English it's pronounced /pəˌtɝːnəˈlɪstɪk/ (puh-turn-uh-LIST-ik), while in British English it's /pətˌɜːnəlˈɪstɪk/ (puht-ɜn-uhl-IST-ik).

How to Pronounce "paternalistic"

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paternalistic

regional

/pəˌtɝːnəˈlɪstɪk/

puh-turn-uh-LIST-ik

Syllable Breakdown

pəpa·tɝːnter·ənal·lɪstis·ɪktic

Source

80%confidence📘 CMU Pronouncing Dictionary v0.7b

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Last updated: 2026-02-14