How to pronounce bougie
Say it like BOO-zhee. Bougie has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bougie. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BOO
- zhee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bougie pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- zheeGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of bougie
American and British speakers say bougie in essentially the same way: /ˈbuˌʒi/ in the US and /ˈbuːˌʒiː/ in the UK.
British respelling: BOO-zhee.
What does bougie mean?
- A tapered cylindrical instrument for introducing an object into a tubular anatomical structure, or to dilate such a structure, as with an esophageal bougie.
- A wax candle.
- Fancy or good-looking, without connotations of snobbery or pretentiousness.
- Alternative spelling of bowjy (“shed for cattle or sheep”).
Where does bougie come from?
Borrowed from French bougie (“wax candle”), after the Algerian city Bougie (Béjaïa), and the tapered, hand-dipped candles it made.
Questions about saying bougie
How do you pronounce bougie?
Say BOO-zhee. The American pronunciation is /ˈbuˌʒi/. In British English it is /ˈbuːˌʒiː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bougie?
Bougie has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOO). Broken into parts: BOO · zhee.
Do Americans and Brits say bougie the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈbuˌʒi/ and the British form is /ˈbuːˌʒiː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.