How to pronounce birr
Say it like BUR. Birr 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 birr. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BUR
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Birr pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of birr
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BUR.
What does birr mean?
- Strength, vigor, energy.
- The force of movement; rush, impetus, momentum, driving force.
- A whirring noise.
- The currency of Ethiopia, divided into 100 santims.
- To make a whirring noise; make a noise like that of revolving wheels, or of millstones at work.
- To lurch or set to spinning.
Where does birr come from?
From Middle English bir (“favorable or strong wind”), from Old English byre (“strong wind, storm”); cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk bør, Icelandic byrr (“sailing winds”), Albanian borë (“snow”), and Polish burza (“storm, thunderstorm”).
Words that rhyme with birr
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of birr.
Words that sound like birr
Questions about saying birr
How do you pronounce birr?
Say BUR. The American pronunciation is /bɝ/. In British English it is /bɜː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in birr?
Birr is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BUR.
Is birr 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 /bɜː/ (BUR).
What words sound the same as birr?
Birr sounds the same as bur, burr in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.