How to pronounce born
Say it like BORN. Born 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 born. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BORN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Born pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BORNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of born
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BAWN.
What does born mean?
- brought into existence“he was a child born of adultery”
- being talented through inherited qualities“a natural leader”“a born musician”
- British nuclear physicist (born in Germany) honored for his contributions to quantum mechanics (1882-1970)
Where does born come from?
From Middle English born, boren, borne, iborne, from Old English boren, ġeboren, from Proto-West Germanic *boran, *gaboran, from Proto-Germanic *buranaz, past participle of Proto-Germanic *beraną (“to bear, carry”), equivalent to bear + -en.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with born
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of born.
Words that sound like born
Questions about saying born
How do you pronounce born?
Say BORN. The American pronunciation is /bɔrn/. In British English it is /bɔːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in born?
Born is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BORN.
Is born 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 /bɔːn/ (BAWN).
What words sound the same as born?
Born sounds the same as bourne in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.