bite · bait

bite /baɪt/ vs bait /beɪt/ — both are diphthongs ending in /t/, but the starting point of the glide is different: /aɪ/ starts with a wide-open jaw, /eɪ/ starts with the mouth more closed.

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⠿ reorder

verb or noun — to cut or grip with teeth — 'bite the apple' · 'a mosquito bite' · 'bite your nails' · 'bite the bullet'

mouth shape

diphthong /aɪ/ — jaw drops WIDE open first, then glides up to close — like 'kite', 'night', 'fight' — the starting position is very low

bite

/baɪt/

vowel length

diphthong /aɪ/

⠿ reorder

noun or verb — food used to attract fish or animals, OR to lure someone — 'fishing bait' · 'bait the hook' · 'don't take the bait'

mouth shape

diphthong /eɪ/ — starts with a MID-open position (not as low as bite), then glides to a smile — like 'wait', 'date', 'late'

bait

/beɪt/

vowel length

diphthong /eɪ/

Diphthong starting position — where your jaw begins

bite /aɪ/ — starts VERY LOW

bite

/baɪt/

/a/ → jaw wide open — then glide up

like: kite · night · sky · my

≠

bait /eɪ/ — starts MID-HEIGHT

bait

/beɪt/

/e/ → mid-open — then glide to smile

like: wait · date · late · make

Key difference

Both are diphthongs ending in /t/. For bite /aɪ/, start with your jaw dropped as low as it goes — like saying “ah” — then glide up. For bait /eɪ/, start in a mid-high position — like saying “eh” — then glide forward to a smile. The starting height is the key: very low vs mid.

Example sentences

bite:“She took a big bite out of the apple.”

bite:“The dog doesn’t bite — he’s very gentle.”

bait:“He put some worms on the hook as bait.”

bait:“Don’t take the bait — he’s just trying to provoke you.”

Hear it in a sentence

“She tried not to bite her nails during the exam.”

“The fishermen used squid as bait for the deep-sea catch.”

Hear it in the wild

Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.

YouGlish↗

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