How to pronounce acorn
Say it like AY-korn. Acorn has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce acorn. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AY
- korn
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Acorn pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- kornKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of acorn
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: AY-kawn.
What does acorn mean?
- The fruit of the oak, being an oval nut growing in a woody cup or cupule.
- A cone-shaped piece of wood on the point of the spindle above the vane, on the mast-head.
- See acorn-shell.
Where does acorn come from?
Cognate with Scots aicorn (“acorn”), Dutch aker (“acorn”), German Ecker (“acorn”), Danish agern (“acorn”), Faroese and Icelandic akarn (“acorn”), Norwegian Nynorsk åkorn (“acorn”), Gothic 𐌰𐌺𐍂𐌰𐌽 (akran, “fruit”); Irish airne (“sloe”), Welsh
Questions about saying acorn
How do you pronounce acorn?
Say AY-korn. The American pronunciation is /ˈeɪkɔrn/. In British English it is /ˈeɪkɔːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in acorn?
Acorn has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AY). Broken into parts: AY · korn.
Is acorn pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈeɪkɔːn/ (AY-kawn).