How to pronounce bladder
Say it like BLAD-er. Bladder has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BLAD).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bladder. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BLAD
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bladder pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BLADSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of bladder
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BLAD-uh.
What does bladder mean?
- a distensible membranous sac (usually containing liquid or gas)
- a bag that fills with air
Where does bladder come from?
From Middle English bladdre, bleddre, bladder, bledder, from Old English blæddre, a variant of blǣdre, blēdre (“blister, bladder”), from Proto-West Germanic *blādrā, from Proto-Germanic *blēdrǭ, *bladrǭ (“blister, bladder”).
Words that rhyme with bladder
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bladder.
Questions about saying bladder
How do you pronounce bladder?
Say BLAD-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈblædɚ/. In British English it is /ˈblædə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bladder?
Bladder has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BLAD). Broken into parts: BLAD · er.
Is bladder 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 /ˈblædə/ (BLAD-uh).