How to pronounce bonfire
Say it like BON-fy-er. Bonfire has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BON).
VoiceSpeed
US American/ˈbɑnˌfaɪɚ/BON-fy-er
UK British/ˈbɒnfaɪ/BON-fy
- BON
- fy
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bonfire pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- fyGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of bonfire
- American English uses 3 syllables and British English 2.
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: BON-fy.
What does bonfire mean?
noun
- A large, controlled outdoor fire lit to celebrate something or as a signal.
- A fire lit outdoors to burn unwanted items; originally (historical), heretics or other offenders, or banned books; now, generally agricultural or garden waste, or rubbish.
- Something like a bonfire (sense 1 or 2) in heat, destructiveness, ferocity, etc.
- To destroy (something) by, or as if by, burning on a bonfire; (more generally) to burn or set alight.
- To fire (pottery) using a bonfire.
- To make, or celebrate around, a bonfire.
Where does bonfire come from?
From Middle English bonnefyre (“a fire in which bones are burnt, bonfire”) [and other forms], by surface analysis, bone + fire.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- bale
- balefire
Questions about saying bonfire
How do you pronounce bonfire?
Say BON-fy-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈbɑnˌfaɪɚ/. In British English it is /ˈbɒnfaɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bonfire?
Bonfire has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BON). Broken into parts: BON · fy · er.
Is bonfire pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. American English uses 3 syllables and British English 2. The British form is /ˈbɒnfaɪ/ (BON-fy).