How to pronounce bathwater
Say it like BATH-waw-ter. Bathwater has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BATH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bathwater. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BATH
- waw
- ter
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bathwater pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BATHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- wawKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- terKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of bathwater
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: BAH-thwaw-tuh.
What does bathwater mean?
- The water used in a bath (bathtub).
Where does bathwater come from?
From bath + water. Compare Dutch badwater (“bathwater”), German Badewasser (“bathwater”), Swedish badvatten (“bathwater”).
Questions about saying bathwater
How do you pronounce bathwater?
Say BATH-waw-ter. The American pronunciation is /ˈbæθwɔtɚ/. In British English it is /ˈbɑːθwɔːtə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bathwater?
Bathwater has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BATH). Broken into parts: BATH · waw · ter.
Is bathwater 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 /ˈbɑːθwɔːtə/ (BAH-thwaw-tuh).