How to pronounce burial
Say it like BER-ee-ul. Burial has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce burial. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BER
- ee
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Burial pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of burial
American and British speakers say burial in essentially the same way: /ˈbɛriəl/ in the US and /ˈbɛriəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: BER-ee-ul.
What does burial mean?
- the ritual placing of a corpse in a grave
- concealing something under the ground
Where does burial come from?
From Middle English biriel, a backformation from biriels, which was re-interpreted as a plural, itself from from Old English byrġels, from byrġan (“to bury”) + -els.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with burial
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of burial.
Questions about saying burial
How do you pronounce burial?
Say BER-ee-ul. The American pronunciation is /ˈbɛriəl/. In British English it is /ˈbɛriəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in burial?
Burial has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BER). Broken into parts: BER · ee · ul.
Do Americans and Brits say burial the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈbɛriəl/ and the British form is /ˈbɛriəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.