How to pronounce bear
Say it like BAIR. Bear is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- BAIR
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bear 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.
American vs British pronunciation of bear
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BAIR.
What does bear mean?
- A large, generally omnivorous mammal (a few species are purely carnivorous or herbivorous) of the family Ursidae; having shaggy fur, a very small tail, and flat feet.
- The meat of this animal.“We had barbecued bear for dinner.”
- A rough, unmannerly, uncouth person.
- To endeavour to depress the price of, or prices in.“to bear a railroad stock”
- Characterized by declining prices in securities markets or by belief that the prices will fall.“The great bear market starting in 1929 scared a whole generation of investors.”
Where does bear come from?
However, Ringe (2006:106) doubts the existence of a root *bʰer- meaning "brown" ("an actual PIE word of [the requisite] shape and meaning is not recoverable") and suggests that a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰwer- (“wild animal”) "
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with bear
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bear.
Words that sound like bear
- bare
- baer
Questions about saying bear
How do you pronounce bear?
Say BAIR. The American pronunciation is /bɛr/. In British English it is /bɛə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bear?
Bear is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BAIR.
Is bear 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 /bɛə/ (BAIR).
What words sound the same as bear?
Bear sounds the same as bare, baer in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.