How to pronounce bison
Say it like BY-sun. Bison has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bison. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BY
- sun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bison pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- sunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of bison
American and British speakers say bison in essentially the same way: /ˈbaɪsən/ in the US and /ˈbaɪsən/ in the UK.
British respelling: BY-sun.
What does bison mean?
- A large, wild bovid of the genus Bison.
Where does bison come from?
The Latin term is recorded in the 1st century, likely a direct loan from Proto-Germanic *wisundaz (“wild ox, aurochs”) (see for full etymology).
Words that rhyme with bison
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bison.
Questions about saying bison
How do you pronounce bison?
Say BY-sun. The American pronunciation is /ˈbaɪsən/. In British English it is /ˈbaɪsən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bison?
Bison has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BY). Broken into parts: BY · sun.
Do Americans and Brits say bison the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈbaɪsən/ and the British form is /ˈbaɪsən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.