How to pronounce birth
Say it like BURTH. Birth 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 birth. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BURTH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Birth pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BURTHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of birth
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BURTH.
What does birth mean?
- the time when something begins (especially life)“they divorced after the birth of the child”“his election signaled the birth of a new age”
- the event of being born“they celebrated the birth of their first child”
- the process of giving birth
- cause to be born“My wife had twins yesterday!”
Where does birth come from?
From Middle English birthe (1250), from earlier burthe, burde, from Old Norse burðr, byrd (Old Swedish byrth, Swedish börd), replacing Old English ġebyrd (rare variant byrþ), equivalent to bear + -th (thus a piecewise doublet of berth).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with birth
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of birth.
Words that sound like birth
Questions about saying birth
How do you pronounce birth?
Say BURTH. The American pronunciation is /bɝθ/. In British English it is /bɜːθ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in birth?
Birth is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BURTH.
Is birth 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 /bɜːθ/ (BURTH).
What words sound the same as birth?
Birth sounds the same as berth in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.