How to pronounce bluebottle
Say it like BLOO-baw-tul. Bluebottle has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BLOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bluebottle. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BLOO
- baw
- tul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bluebottle pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BLOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- bawGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- tulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of bluebottle
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: BLOO-baw-tul.
What does bluebottle mean?
- A cornflower, a plant that grows in grain fields, Centaurea cyanus.
- Any of various blowflies of the genus Calliphora that have an iridescent metallic-blue body and make a loud buzzing noise when flying.
- A blue ant, Diamma bicolor, a parasitic wasp native to Australia.
- A marine jellyfish of the genus Physalia, which includes Physalia physalis, the Portuguese man-of-war, and Physalia utriculus, the Pacific man-of-war; a man-of-war.
Where does bluebottle come from?
From Middle English blewbothel, from blew (“blue”) + bothel (“flower in the Asteraceae family”).
Questions about saying bluebottle
How do you pronounce bluebottle?
Say BLOO-baw-tul. The American pronunciation is /ˈbluˌbɔtəl/. In British English it is /ˈbluːˌbɔːtəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bluebottle?
Bluebottle has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BLOO). Broken into parts: BLOO · baw · tul.
Is bluebottle pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t. The British form is /ˈbluːˌbɔːtəl/ (BLOO-baw-tul).