How to pronounce boulder
Say it like BOHL-der. Boulder has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOHL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce boulder. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BOHL
- der
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Boulder pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BOHLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- derKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of boulder
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: BOHL-duh.
What does boulder mean?
- a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin
- a town in north central Colorado; Rocky Mountains resort center and university town
Where does boulder come from?
From late Middle English bulder, short for Middle English bulder ston (“a stone that's been worn into a round shape, boulder, cobblestone”), possibly from Old Swedish *buldersten, itself possibly from Old Swedish bulder (“rumble, noise”) +
Words that rhyme with boulder
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of boulder.
Questions about saying boulder
How do you pronounce boulder?
Say BOHL-der. The American pronunciation is /ˈboʊldɚ/. In British English it is /ˈbəʊldə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in boulder?
Boulder has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOHL). Broken into parts: BOHL · der.
Is boulder 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 /ˈbəʊldə/ (BOHL-duh).