How to pronounce barefoot
Say it like BAIR-fuut. Barefoot has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAIR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce barefoot. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BAIR
- fuut
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Barefoot pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BAIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- fuutGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
American vs British pronunciation of barefoot
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BAIR-fuut.
What does barefoot mean?
- Wearing nothing on the feet.“After taking off their shoes, socks and sandals at the doorway, the kids were barefoot.”
- Of a vehicle on an icy road: not using snow chains.
- Transmitting without the use of an amplifier.
- Wearing nothing on the feet.“She likes to go barefoot in the summertime.”
- Transmitting without the use of an amplifier.
Where does barefoot come from?
From Middle English barefote, barfot, from Old English bærfōt (“barefoot”), from Proto-West Germanic *baʀafōt, from Proto-Germanic *bazafōts (“barefoot”) equivalent to bare + foot.
Questions about saying barefoot
How do you pronounce barefoot?
Say BAIR-fuut. The American pronunciation is /ˈbɛrˌfʊt/. In British English it is /ˈbɛəfʊt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in barefoot?
Barefoot has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAIR). Broken into parts: BAIR · fuut.
Is barefoot 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 /ˈbɛəfʊt/ (BAIR-fuut).