How to pronounce bootleg
Say it like BOOT-leg. Bootleg has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOOT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bootleg. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BOOT
- leg
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bootleg pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BOOTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- legGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of bootleg
American and British speakers say bootleg in essentially the same way: /ˈbutˌlɛɡ/ in the US and /ˈbuːtˌlɛɡ/ in the UK.
British respelling: BOOT-leg.
What does bootleg mean?
- The part of a boot that is above the instep.
- An illegally produced, transported, or sold product.“He thinks he can cross this border with bootleg and get away with it. I doubt he's right. Maybe years ago, but not nowadays.”
- An unauthorized recording; for example, of a live concert.“Years ago I heard a fantastic bootleg of that song. It was my favorite rendition.”
- To engage in bootlegging.
- To make, transport and/or sell illegal alcoholic liquor.“In the 1930s, Grandpa used to bootleg to make ends meet.”
- To make, transport and/or sell an illegal version or copy of a copyrighted product.“In the 1990s, Grandpa used to bootleg under some sort of Robin-Hood-esque notion.”
- Illegally produced, transported, or sold.
- Being an inferior imitation of something, possibly a counterfeit.“bootleg coffee”
Where does bootleg come from?
From boot + leg. Originally a nickname given to smugglers in King George III's reign, derived from the smugglers' custom of hiding packages of valuables in their large sea-boots when dodging the king's coastguardsmen.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying bootleg
How do you pronounce bootleg?
Say BOOT-leg. The American pronunciation is /ˈbutˌlɛɡ/. In British English it is /ˈbuːtˌlɛɡ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bootleg?
Bootleg has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOOT). Broken into parts: BOOT · leg.
Do Americans and Brits say bootleg the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈbutˌlɛɡ/ and the British form is /ˈbuːtˌlɛɡ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.