# How do YOU pronounce "coyote"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 5, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406 "2010-05-05T14:38:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/1 "2010-05-05T14:38:56Z")
So I’m reading this book, and I come across this: > [@](#): > > “…They keep us leashed as tightly as you keep your coyote.” He used the Spanish pronunciation, three syllables rather than two. This led me to a big WTF moment. I’ve only ever heard “coyote” pronounced as three syllables. _ki-OH-tee_. Is there some other way to pronounce it? The only thing I can think of is “ki-oat” but that just sounds ridiculous. I’m not even sure what syllable would get the emphasis. [M-w.com](http://M-w.com) lists that as an alternate pronunciation but I’ve _never_ heard anyone say it that way. So is my perception off by being raised in Arizona? How do YOU pronounce “coyote”? Is the way I say it really the “foreign” way and not the normal way\*? \*the book takes place in the US ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/2 "2010-05-05T14:43:00Z")
I pronounce it the way you do, with three syllables, and I’m from New Hampshire. I’ve heard it pronounces “KAI-ote”, but I don’t know what region of the US uses that pronounciation regularly. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/3 "2010-05-05T14:44:00Z")
I’ve heard a few people say ky-oat but only in a sort of joking way. No one I know would actually think that’s the normal way to pronounce it. But then I’m in California. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/4 "2010-05-05T14:50:08Z")
I’ve always said it as three syllables, though [the dictionary](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/coyote) lists both pronunciations. The word has Spanish/Mexican origins, so it’s probably correct to refer to the three-syllable pronunciation - with a hard “t” sound, and the last syllable as an “eh” sound rather than an “ee” sound - as being “the Spanish pronunciation.” ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/5 "2010-05-05T14:54:32Z")
From northern VA. “ki-OH-tee”. Edit: no, hold on. My ‘t’ isn’t a t, it’s a tap. Like the ‘d’ in body or the ‘tt’ in butter. The Spanish pronunciation: “co-YO-teh”. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/6 "2010-05-05T14:54:50Z")
Three syllables: “Run away!” What? Coyotes are scary. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/7 "2010-05-05T14:54:50Z")
I’ve heard Kai-ote, but pronounce it with three syllables. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/8 "2010-05-05T14:56:46Z")
Joe: Now when you say “‘eh’ sound” do you mean it the Canadian way (“ay”) or like “meh” and “heh” and so on? ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/9 "2010-05-05T14:58:00Z")
Here is the definitive answer, [straight from the coyote’s mouth](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIPr23xyoZg). ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/10 "2010-05-05T14:58:35Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > I’ve only ever heard “coyote” pronounced as three syllables. _ki-OH-tee_. That’s how I pronounce it. If you eat rattlesnake meat and shit, then you can say Ki-oat. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/11 "2010-05-05T14:58:46Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Three syllables: “Run away!” > > What? Coyotes are scary. Coyotes are lovable bundles of snuggly goodness!!! (or at least they look like it. I’d like to think I’m not stupid enough to try.) ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/12 "2010-05-05T15:01:57Z")
I pronounce it ki-OAT-ee (born in Maryland, lived there, in California, and in Pittsburgh). My grandfather, who was born in 1911 and was from Nebraska, pronounced it KI-oat. He would laugh at me when I said it. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/13 "2010-05-05T15:04:41Z")
In reference to the wild animal 2 syllables; kai-yoat with a long o, “yoat” rhymes with coat. Half the time I hear people pronounce the e, for the other half it’s silent. I’m Texan. Interestingly though I’d offer that there appears to sometimes be a difference when using the word as a reference to those engaged in illegal immigrant smuggling. For them I often hear the word with a strong emphasis on the “e” at the end; kai-yo-tee. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/14 "2010-05-05T15:09:29Z")
From the American southwest: I usually say the americanized word ki-OH-tee. Although sometimes I get lazy and say ki-yote or ki-yotes. Really, either way works around here. If it is referring to smugglers, it is usually in the spanish pronunciation, cah-YOAT-eh. Some local often mis-pronounced words include saugaro, Mogollon, Mazatals, and even Tucson. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/15 "2010-05-05T15:09:51Z")
I think the two syllable pronunciation was more common in the past. When I was a kid growing up in the 50s, I recall hearing it that way often in Westerns and cartoons. It’s possible that as Spanish has become more widespread and common in the US, the original Spanish three-syllable pronunciation has become the norm. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/16 "2010-05-05T15:10:38Z")
I use both pronunciations; I don’t think of either one as being “right”. (native Californian) ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/17 "2010-05-05T15:14:59Z")
Oh dear, i think I’ve been pronouncing it wrong all my life! Not that it’s a word I use that often… I say coy - oh - tee. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/18 "2010-05-05T15:17:41Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > Oh dear, i think I’ve been pronouncing it wrong all my life! Not that it’s a word I use that often… > > I say coy - oh - tee. That’s actually pretty cute. You get to do that, being from NZ and all. Anyhoo, I’ve never heard it pronounces with two syllables. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/19 "2010-05-05T15:21:45Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Three syllables: “Run away!” > > What? Coyotes are scary. _steeples fingers_ Excellent! > [@JThunder](#): > > Here is the definitive answer, [straight from the coyote’s mouth](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIPr23xyoZg). As JThunder as pointed out, it is three syllables and ends with an “E” sound, as in “Wile E”. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/20 "2010-05-05T15:25:45Z")
As a native Texan I’ve heard it both ways. However in regards to the OP, the Spanish pronounciation is ko-YO-teh in my experience. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406.md?page=2)