How to pronounce arrowroot
Say it like ER-oh-root. Arrowroot has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce arrowroot. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ER
- oh
- root
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Arrowroot pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- rootGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of arrowroot
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: AR-oh-root.
What does arrowroot mean?
- Maranta arundinacea from the Marantaceae family, a large perennial herb native to the Caribbean area with green leaves about 15 centimeters long.
- Usually preceded by an attributive word: some other plant whose rhizomes are used to prepare a substance similar to arrowroot (sense 3), such as Zamia integrifolia (Florida arrowroot) or Pueraria montana var. lobata (Japanese arrowroot or kudzu).
- A starchy substance obtained from the rhizomes of an arrowroot plant used as a thickener.
Where does arrowroot come from?
From Lokono aru-aru (literally “meal of meals”), influenced by arrow + root because the plant’s “roots” (more accurately rhizomes) are used on wounds from poison darts to absorb the poison.
Questions about saying arrowroot
How do you pronounce arrowroot?
Say ER-oh-root. The American pronunciation is /ˈɛroʊˌrut/. In British English it is /ˈærəʊruːt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in arrowroot?
Arrowroot has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ER). Broken into parts: ER · oh · root.
Is arrowroot pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈærəʊruːt/ (AR-oh-root).