Pronunciation guide

How to pronounce phoenix

FEE-niks - two syllables; 'oe' says 'ee'

US/ˈfiːnɪks/

fiːnɪks

UK/ˈfiːnɪks/

fiːnɪks

New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.

Common mistake

The 'oe' is a long 'ee' - 'FEE-niks', not 'FOH-niks' or 'FEN-iks'.

What “phoenix” means

A mythical bird that burns itself to ashes and is reborn from them; a symbol of renewal or immortality.

A person or thing that revives or is restored after apparent destruction.

In a sentence

  • Like a phoenix, the company rose from bankruptcy to lead its industry.
  • In the myth, the phoenix bursts into flame and a new bird hatches from the ashes.

Say it out loud a few times, then check yourself.

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Definitions and examples are derived from Wiktionary, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, then edited by QuickPronounce. Pronunciation data draws on CMUdict.