How to pronounce butterfingered
Say it like BUHT-er-fing-gherd. Butterfingered has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BUHT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce butterfingered. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BUHT
- er
- fing
- gherd
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Butterfingered pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BUHTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- fingGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- gherdKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of butterfingered
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: BUHT-uh-fing-gud.
What does butterfingered mean?
- Prone to dropping things; clumsy.
Where does butterfingered come from?
From butter + fingered (“having fingers (of the specified kind)”), an allusion to people tending to drop things because their hands are so slippery that they seem to be covered in butter.
Questions about saying butterfingered
How do you pronounce butterfingered?
Say BUHT-er-fing-gherd. The American pronunciation is /ˈbʌtɚˌfɪŋɡɚd/. In British English it is /ˈbʌtəˌfɪŋɡəd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in butterfingered?
Butterfingered has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BUHT). Broken into parts: BUHT · er · fing · gherd.
Is butterfingered 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 /ˈbʌtəˌfɪŋɡəd/ (BUHT-uh-fing-gud).