How to pronounce book
Say it like BUUK. Book 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 book. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BUUK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Book pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BUUKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
American vs British pronunciation of book
American and British speakers say book in essentially the same way: /bʊk/ in the US and /bʊk/ in the UK.
British respelling: BUUK.
What does book mean?
- a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)“I am reading a good book on economics”
- physical objects consisting of a number of pages bound together“he used a large book as a doorstop”
- a compilation of the known facts regarding something or someone“Al Smith used to say, `Let's look at the record'”“his name is in all the record books”
- engage for a performance“Her agent had booked her for several concerts in Tokyo”
- arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in advance“reserve me a seat on a flight”“The agent booked tickets to the show for the whole family”
- record a charge in a police register“The policeman booked her when she tried to solicit a man”
Where does book come from?
Cognate with Scots beuk, buik, buke (“book”), Yola buke (“book”), North Frisian Bok, buk, bök (“book”), Saterland Frisian Bouk (“book”), West Frisian, Dutch boek (“book”), Alemannic German Buech (“book”), Bavarian Buach (“book”), Central Fr
Words that rhyme with book
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of book.
Questions about saying book
How do you pronounce book?
Say BUUK. The American pronunciation is /bʊk/. In British English it is /bʊk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in book?
Book is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BUUK.
Do Americans and Brits say book the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bʊk/ and the British form is /bʊk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.