Skip to main content

say — to speak words; to express in words

Part of speech: VERB

Definition: to speak words; to express in words

Pronunciation (IPA): /seɪ/

Example Sentences

  • My GPS always says 'Recalculating' when I'm already lost.
  • What does the report say about our sales?
  • They say laughter is the best medicine, but my doctor still charges me.

say

VERB

[/seɪ/]

to speak words; to express in words

Image coming soon

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/seɪ/
🇬🇧 UK/seɪ/

🌳Etymology

Rootsay

Origin

The word 'say' derives from Old English 'secgan', one of the most fundamental verbs in the language. It evolved from a common root shared across Germanic languages, tracing back to Proto-Germanic origins with the basic meaning of 'to speak' or 'to utter'.

Breakdown

Old English 'secgan' underwent phonetic reduction over centuries of language evolution, with the initial 'sec-' cluster simplifying to 's-' and the final syllable '-gan' disappearing, resulting in the modern monosyllabic form 'say'.

🎵Rhyme

day
way
play
may

🔗Collocations

say goodbye
say hello
say sorry
say nothing
say the word
they say

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“My GPS always says 'Recalculating' when I'm already lost.”

“What does the report say about our sales?”

😄 Fun example

“They say laughter is the best medicine, but my doctor still charges me.”

“Can you say that again more slowly?”

📚Related Words

Want to master 27,000+ words?

Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.