# How do you pronounce "biopic"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 16, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595 "2009-01-16T14:55:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dilton\_Doiley\_Philosopher\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f1d935/32.png) [@Dilton\_Doiley\_Philosopher\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dilton_Doiley_Philosopher_King)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/1 "2009-01-16T14:55:21Z")
I’ve always pronounced it (in my head) as rhyming with “myopic”, with a short ‘o’ sound. But now I realize that it could be pronounced like “bio - pick”. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/2 "2009-01-16T15:01:29Z")
The second way, because it’s BIOgraphical PICture. People use “bio” as a slangy abbreviation for “biography.” I don’t know why they don’t say “bio flick,” though. When I was a kid, I used the see the word “miniseries” before I ever heard it pronounced, and not even knowing what it was I though it was min-IZ-er-eez (a little like rotisseries). ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/3 "2009-01-16T15:03:12Z")
What \*\*CookingWithGas \*\*said: > [@](#): > > Pronunciation: > \ˈbī-(ˌ)ō-ˌpik\ > **[Definition of BIOPIC](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biopic)** > > a biographical movie… See the full definition ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/4 "2009-01-16T15:49:25Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > The second way, because it’s BIOgraphical PICture. People use “bio” as a slangy abbreviation for “biography.” I don’t know why they don’t say “bio flick,” though… It comes from film industry slang, and they don’t call movies “flicks” much. “Biopic” should really be hyphenated (bio-pic) to make things clear(er). ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/5 "2009-01-16T16:40:20Z")
> [@Dilton\_Doiley\_Philosopher\_King](#): > > I’ve always pronounced it (in my head) as rhyming with “myopic”, with a short ‘o’ sound. But now I realize that it could be pronounced like “bio - pick”. Don’t feel bad. I know someone who still talks about that Irish travel and accomodations website. You know, “Travel O’City.” ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/6 "2009-01-16T17:21:55Z")
I say byopic knowing full well it’s wrong. I can’t break the habit. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/7 "2009-01-16T17:25:22Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Don’t feel bad. I know someone who still talks about that Irish travel and accomodations website. You know, “Travel O’City.” I see what you did there… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/8 "2009-01-16T18:17:54Z")
Though the standard is “bio pick” I prefer “byopic” my self. I just like the way it sounds better, don’t know why. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/9 "2009-01-16T20:10:36Z")
Is there a factual question here? Mods, maybe this goes in GD, under “polls”? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/10 "2009-01-16T22:23:24Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > I say byopic knowing full well it’s wrong. I can’t break the habit. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![lovesblueskies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lovesblueskies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lovesblueskies)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/11 "2012-01-24T18:51:37Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > Is there a factual question here? > > Mods, maybe this goes in GD, under “polls”? Yes, there is a factual question. I wanted to know how to say biopic. I always said it like myopic, too, but knowing what it meant, felt it must be wrong. That’s the question at the top and that’s the question that was answered. BTW, thank you all for the answers. I’m kind of glad to know that I’m not the only one who said biopic like myopic! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/12 "2012-01-24T19:21:25Z")
Next question: How do you say the word “barfly”? I pronounce it as an adverb, myself. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/13 "2012-01-24T19:58:27Z")
> [@Ephemera](#): > > I say byopic knowing full well it’s wrong. I can’t break the habit. Just like when I encounter the word “awry,” my brain wants to pronounce it “AW-ree.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/14 "2012-01-24T20:34:06Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Don’t feel bad. I know someone who still talks about that Irish travel and accomodations website. You know, “Travel O’City.” Did NPR’s Cloudy O’Sanchez ever report on that? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-biopic/481595/15 "2012-01-24T20:45:32Z")
I pronounce it ZOM-bee.