How to Pronounce Croissant
How do you say croissant?
US kruh-SAHNT
UK KWASS-on
- IPA (US)
- /krəˈsɑːnt/
- IPA (UK)
- /ˈkwæsɒ̃/
kruh·sahnt
2 syllables, stress on the second.
Is it kroy-SANT or kruh-SAHNT?
- ✗ Not standard kroy-SANT: The 'oi' comes from French, so it never sounds like the 'oy' in 'boy'. English speakers reduce it to 'ruh' (US) or 'wa' (UK).
- ✓ Also accepted krwah-SAHN: The French-style version, with no T at the end and a nasal final vowel. Accepted in both American and British English.
Croissant pronunciation in British vs American English
American English: Usually kruh-SAHNT: stress on the second syllable and the final T pronounced.
British English: Usually KWASS-on: stress on the first syllable, the R often dropped, the T silent and a slightly nasal 'on' borrowed from French. KRWASS-on, keeping the R, is also common.
What does croissant mean?
A flaky, crescent-shaped pastry made from layers of buttered yeast dough.
Where does croissant come from?
French croissant means 'crescent', literally 'growing', as in a waxing moon (from croître, 'to grow'). The shape descends from the Austrian kipferl, which Viennese bakers brought to Paris in the 1830s; the all-butter layered dough is a later French development. In French, 'oi' is said 'wa' and the final 'nt' is silent, which is why the British pronunciation sounds closer to French than the American one.
Croissant in a sentence
- She ordered a croissant and a flat white.
- The bakery sells out of almond croissants by nine o'clock.
- A good croissant shatters into flakes when you bite into it.