Pronunciation guide

How to pronounce quinoa

KEEN-wah - two syllables, stress on the 1st

US/ˈkin.wɑ/

kinwɑ

UK/ˈkiːn.wɑː/

kiːnwɑː

New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.

Common mistake

Often said 'kwih-NOH-uh' or 'kee-NOH-uh'; it is 'KEEN-wah', stress up front.

What “quinoa” means

A goosefoot (Chenopodium quinoa) native to the Andes and cultivated for its edible seeds.

The high-protein dried fruits and seeds of this plant, used as a food staple and ground into flour.

In a sentence

  • Quinoa is valued for its high protein content and cooks quickly in a hot pan.
  • Many households now rely on quinoa as a gluten-free grain substitute in bowls and salads.

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.