How to pronounce buttermilk
Say it like BUHT-er-milk. Buttermilk has three 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 buttermilk. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BUHT
- er
- milk
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Buttermilk 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.
- milkGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of buttermilk
- 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-milk.
What does buttermilk mean?
- The liquid left over after producing butter from full cream milk by the churning process, also called traditional buttermilk.
- Cultured buttermilk, a fermented dairy product produced from cow's milk, with a characteristically sour taste.
- A light yellow color, like that of buttermilk.
Where does buttermilk come from?
Inherited from Middle English butter-melke, equivalent to butter + milk.
Questions about saying buttermilk
How do you pronounce buttermilk?
Say BUHT-er-milk. The American pronunciation is /ˈbʌtɚˌmɪlk/. In British English it is /ˈbʌtəˌmɪlk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in buttermilk?
Buttermilk has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BUHT). Broken into parts: BUHT · er · milk.
Is buttermilk 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 /ˈbʌtəˌmɪlk/ (BUHT-uh-milk).