How to pronounce bill
Say it like BIL. Bill is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bill. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BIL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bill pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of bill
American and British speakers say bill in essentially the same way: /bɪl/ in the US and /bɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: BIL.
What does bill mean?
- a statute in draft before it becomes law“they held a public hearing on the bill”
- an itemized statement of money owed for goods shipped or services rendered“he paid his bill and left”“send me an account of what I owe”
- a piece of paper money (especially one issued by a central bank)“he peeled off five one-thousand-zloty notes”
- demand payment“Will I get charged for this service?”“We were billed for 4 nights in the hotel, although we stayed only 3 nights”
- advertise especially by posters or placards“He was billed as the greatest tenor since Caruso”
- publicize or announce by placards
Where does bill come from?
From Middle English bille, from Anglo-Norman bille, from Old French bulle, from Medieval Latin bulla (“seal, sealed document”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with bill
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bill.
Questions about saying bill
How do you pronounce bill?
Say BIL. The American pronunciation is /bɪl/. In British English it is /bɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bill?
Bill is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BIL.
Do Americans and Brits say bill the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɪl/ and the British form is /bɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.