What is the Latin word for pronunciation?

The usual Latin words for “pronunciation” are appellātiō, prōlātiō, locūtiō; also ōs, vōx, sonus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“pronunciation” in Latin

appellātiōappeal (to higher authority); name; title, rank prōlātiōpostponement; enlargement locūtiōThe act of speaking; speech, discourse.; A way of speaking; pronunciation.; An utterance, word or mode of expression, ph ōsmouth; (in general) head or face; (in general) facial features, countenance, appearance vōxvoice; accent; speech, remark, expression, (turn of) phrase sonussound, noise; pitch; speech; tone, character, style; voice, tongue āctiōaction; a doing or performing, behavior; public function, civil act; suit, process, action correptiōseizure (a laying hold of, seizing), attack (illness); rebuke, reproof, censure; shortening, decreasing

The English word pronunciation itself goes back to Latin nūntiō, through prōnūntiātiō.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

pronunciation

Act or mode of utterance (of syllables or single words), appellatio (☞ not pronunciatio, which is always = actio, the whole delivery): prolatio (the uttering a word; Liv., 22, 13, Punicum os abhorret ab Latinorum nominum prolatione; i. e., the Latin names are very difficult to the Carthaginians): locutio (a speaking). An agreeable pronunciation, suavis appellatio litterarum; litterarum appellandarum suavitas: a gentle pronunciation, lenis appellatio litterarum: a correct pronunciation, emendata locutio: a pleasant and distinct pronunciation, emendata cum suavitate vocum explanatio (Quint., 1, 5, 33): by a broad pronunciation, valde dilatandis litteris: the sharp or acute pronunciation of a syllable, correptio (opposed to productio).

Delivery of language; accent; os (language uttered): vox (voice); (The words are found in this connection and order.) os ac vox (full-toned): vocis sonus, or, from the context, simply sonus (tone of voice). A correct pronunciation, vocis sonus rectus (opposed to oris pravitas): a clear pronunciation, os explanatum or planum (opposed to os confusum): agreeable pronunciation, suavitas vocis or oris ac vocis; os jucundum: a refined or elegant pronunciation, os urbanum: an easy or smooth pronunciation, os facile (opposed to asperitas soni): a rude pronunciation, oris rusticitas; sonus subrusticus: a foreign pronunciation, sonus peregrinus; oris peregrinitas; os barbarum; os in peregrinum sonum corruptum (broken). I don’t like an affected pronunciation, nolo exprimi litteras putidius (Cic.): we must write according to the pronunciation, perinde scribendum est ac loquamur; sic scribendum quidque judico, quomodo sonat: not to write words according to the pronunciation, verba aliter scribere ac enunciantur. To have (such) a pronunciation; Vid: the corresponding phrase in To PRONOUNCE.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for pronunciation?: The usual Latin words for “pronunciation” are appellātiō, prōlātiō, locūtiō; also ōs, vōx, sonus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.