How to pronounce border
Say it like BOR-der. Border has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOR).
- BOR
- der
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Border pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- derKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of border
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BAW-duh.
What does border mean?
- The line or frontier area separating political or geographical regions.“The border between Canada and USA is the longest in the world.”
- The outer edge of something.“the borders of the garden”
- A decorative strip around the edge of something.“There’s a nice frilly border around the picture frame.”
- To put a border on something.
- To form a border around; to bound.
- To lie on, or adjacent to, a border of.“Denmark borders Germany to the south.”
Where does border come from?
Not cognate to beard, although inside Germanic there may have been influence between the senses of these two roots: see e.g.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with border
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of border.
Words that sound like border
Questions about saying border
How do you pronounce border?
Say BOR-der. The American pronunciation is /ˈbɔrdɚ/. In British English it is /ˈbɔːdə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in border?
Border has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOR). Broken into parts: BOR · der.
Is border 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 /ˈbɔːdə/ (BAW-duh).
What words sound the same as border?
Border sounds the same as boarder in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.