How to pronounce beholder
Say it like bih-HOHL-der. Beholder has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (HOHL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce beholder. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- bih
- HOHL
- der
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Beholder pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- bihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- HOHLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- derKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of beholder
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: bih-HOHL-duh.
What does beholder mean?
- Someone who observes or beholds; an observer or spectator.
- A fictional monster in roleplaying games, a floating orb of flesh with a large mouth and many eyes on stalks.
Where does beholder come from?
From Middle English behalder, be holdar, beholder, beholdere, biholdar, biholdere, byholdere; equivalent to behold + -er.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with beholder
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of beholder.
Questions about saying beholder
How do you pronounce beholder?
Say bih-HOHL-der. The American pronunciation is /bɪˈhoʊldɚ/. In British English it is /bɪˈhəʊldə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in beholder?
Beholder has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (HOHL). Broken into parts: bih · HOHL · der.
Is beholder 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 /bɪˈhəʊldə/ (bih-HOHL-duh).