How to pronounce breath
Say it like BRETH. Breath 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 breath. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BRETH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Breath pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BRETHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of breath
American and British speakers say breath in essentially the same way: /brɛθ/ in the US and /brɛθ/ in the UK.
British respelling: BRETH.
What does breath mean?
- the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing“he took a deep breath and dived into the pool”“he was fighting to his last breath”
- the air that is inhaled and exhaled in respiration“his sour breath offended her”
- a short respite
Where does breath come from?
From Middle English breeth, breth, from Old English brǣþ (“odor, scent, stink, exhalation, vapor”), from Proto-West Germanic *brāþi (“vapor, waft, exhalation, breath”) (compare German Brodem (“haze, vapor; breath”), of a different but related formation).
Words that rhyme with breath
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of breath.
Questions about saying breath
How do you pronounce breath?
Say BRETH. The American pronunciation is /brɛθ/. In British English it is /brɛθ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in breath?
Breath is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BRETH.
Do Americans and Brits say breath the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /brɛθ/ and the British form is /brɛθ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.