How to pronounce brail
Say it like BRAYL. Brail 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 brail. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BRAYL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Brail pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BRAYLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of brail
American and British speakers say brail in essentially the same way: /breɪl/ in the US and /breɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: BRAYL.
What does brail mean?
- A small rope used to truss up sails.
- A thong of soft leather to bind up a hawk's wing.
- A stock at each end of a seine to keep it stretched.
- To reef, shorten or strike sail using brails.
Where does brail come from?
From Middle English brayle, from Old French braiel, from Medieval Latin bracale (“girdle”) (from bracae (“breeches”)).
Words that rhyme with brail
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of brail.
Words that sound like brail
Questions about saying brail
How do you pronounce brail?
Say BRAYL. The American pronunciation is /breɪl/. In British English it is /breɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in brail?
Brail is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BRAYL.
Do Americans and Brits say brail the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /breɪl/ and the British form is /breɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as brail?
Brail sounds the same as braille in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.