How to pronounce burnish
Say it like BUR-nish. Burnish has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce burnish. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BUR
- nish
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Burnish pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- nishKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of burnish
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BUR-nish.
What does burnish mean?
- A shine of something which has been polished; a luster, a polish.
- A shiny layer applied to a surface or other thing.
- The making of something bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing; (countable) an instance of this; a burnishing, a polishing, a shining.“With a good burnish, the old table should fetch a higher price.”
- To make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing; to polish, to shine.“In pottery, a stone is sometimes used to burnish a pot before firing, giving it a smooth, shiny look.”
- Of a stag: to remove the velvet (“skin and fine fur”) from (its antlers) by rubbing them against something; to velvet.
- To make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected.
- Of a person's body: to grow large or stout; to fatten, to fill out.
- Of a thing: to increase in size; to expand, to spread out, to swell.
Where does burnish come from?
The noun is derived from the verb.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with burnish
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of burnish.
Questions about saying burnish
How do you pronounce burnish?
Say BUR-nish. The American pronunciation is /ˈbɝnɪʃ/. In British English it is /ˈbɜːnɪʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in burnish?
Burnish has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BUR). Broken into parts: BUR · nish.
Is burnish 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 /ˈbɜːnɪʃ/ (BUR-nish).