4 syllables: Fri, ca, ss, ee. Stress on ee.
frik-uh-SEE
/ˌfɹɪkəˈsiː/
Fricassee is pronounced frik-uh-SEE (/ˌfɹɪkəˈsiː/). It has four syllables (Fri-ca-ss-ee), with the stress on "ee". Fricassee is a noun referring to a dish of meat cut into small pieces, stewed or fried in a sauce, often with vegetables. It is commonly prepared with chicken or veal and can be served with rice or potatoes. The term can also describe the method or result of frying and simmering ingredients in a flavorful sauce.
nounFricassee is a noun referring to a dish of meat cut into small pieces, stewed or fried in a sauce, often with vegetables. It is commonly prepared with chicken or veal and can be served with rice or potatoes. The term can also describe the method or result of frying and simmering ingredients in a flavorful sauce.
How to Pronounce Fricassee
"I prepared a fricassee with chicken, mushrooms, and cream."
"The chef recommended a traditional beef fricassee for Sunday dinner."
"Her grandmother’s fricassee simmered slowly, absorbing herbs and wine."
Fricassee is pronounced /frɪkəˈsiː/. The stress falls on the second syllable: fee-CA-see, with the final 'see' sounding like 'see' (long i). The first vowel is a short, near-schwa /ɪ/ as in
Common errors include stressing the first syllable or misplacing the long final vowel. People may say /ˈfrɪkəsˌsiː/ or /frɪkəˈsiː/ with the stress on the wrong syllable or collapse the middle consonant. Correct by emphasizing the second syllable with a clear /kə/ before /ˈsiː/. también ensure the /ɡ/ sound isn’t introduced accidentally. Listen for the French influence but maintain English rhythm.
Across US/UK/AU, the word remains /frɪkəˈsiː/, with minor variations: US often uses a more rhotic, smoother /ɪ/ and a slightly clearer /ˈsiː/; UK may have a crisper /kə/ and a shorter /ɪ/; AU tends to be flat vowels with non-rhotic tendencies but still preserves the /ˈsiː/ ending. The main differences are vowel quality and the speed of syllable transitions, not the placement of stress.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster and the final long vowel. The sequence /kəˈsiː/ requires a light, quick transition from the /k/ to the schwa, then a clear /siː/ without tumbling into /si/ or /siːz/. Learners often place stress on the first syllable or mispronounce the 'fr' blend. Practice segmenting: /frɪk/ + /ə/ + /ˈsiː/ to anchor accuracy.
Note the French-origin suffix -ée influences the final /siː/ rather than a hard 'ee' like in 'freak' or 'see'. The middle syllable /kə/ is a reduced vowel, not a full vowel; keep it light and quick. Ensure you don’t voice the 't' or extra consonants—it's just /frɪkəˈsiː/. The pairing of /k/ and /s/ is delicate—avoid coalescing them into /kzi/ or /ks/ sequences.
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Fricassee derives from the French word fricassée, from fricasser meaning “to fry” or “to roast in fragments.” The French form Fricassée likely developed in the 18th century, attested in both culinary literature and cookbooks. The root fric-, linked to frying, has cognates in Old French fricier and French frire, indicating a cooking method involving frying or searing small pieces of meat. Over time, the sense expanded to describe a specific dish where small pieces are braised or simmered in a sauce, often with mushrooms, cream, wine, or stock. In English, fricassee entered kitchens and menus by the 19th century, refined in cookbooks as a cream-based or wine-infused sautéed stew. While the core technique remains frying small cut pieces, contemporary usage emphasizes the gentle braise in a sauce, sometimes with poultry or veal, and can include variations like mushroom fricassee or fish fricassee. The pronunciation stabilized in English as frɪkəˈsiː, with the primary stress on the second syllable, reflecting its French origin while adapting to English phonology. The term remains a classic but relatively specialized culinary word, often encountered in recipes, menus, and culinary writing rather than everyday speech.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Fricassee" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Fricassee"
-ase sounds
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