how to pronounce excelsior

/ɛkˈsɛlsɪɔː/

audio example by a male speaker

audio example by a female speaker

the above transcription of excelsior is a detailed (narrow) transcription according to the rules of the International Phonetic Association; you can find a description of each symbol by clicking the phoneme buttons in the secction below.

excelsior is pronounced in four syllables

press buttons with phonetic symbols to learn how to precisely pronounce each sound of excelsior

1.

2.

3.

4.

ɔː

example pitch curve for pronunciation of excelsior

test your pronunciation of excelsior

press the "test" button to check how closely you can replicate the pitch of a native speaker in your pronunciation of excelsior

video examples of excelsior pronunciation

An example use of excelsior in a speech by a native speaker of british english:

“… a restaurant in excelsior minnesota the …”

meanings of excelsior

adjective:

Loftier, yet higher, more elevated; ever upward.
More surpassing, more excelling.

noun:

The size of type between Norse and brilliant, standardized as 3-point.
Stuffing material (as for furniture and mattresses) made of slender, curled wood shavings, as a substitute for hair.

excelsior frequency in english - C2+ level of CEFR

the word excelsior occurs in english on average 0.6 times per one million words; this frequency warrants it to be in the study list for C2+ level of language mastery according to CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference.