How to pronounce cairn
Say it like KAIRN. Cairn is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
VoiceSpeed
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce cairn. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/kɛrn/KAIRN
UK British/kɛən/KAIRN
- KAIRN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cairn pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KAIRNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of cairn
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: KAIRN.
What does cairn mean?
noun
- A rounded or conical heap of stones erected by early inhabitants of the British Isles, apparently as a sepulchral monument.
- A pile of stones heaped up as a landmark, to guide travelers on land or at sea, or to arrest attention, as in surveying, or in leaving traces of an exploring party, etc.
- A cairn terrier.
Words that rhyme with cairn
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cairn.
Questions about saying cairn
How do you pronounce cairn?
Say KAIRN. The American pronunciation is /kɛrn/. In British English it is /kɛən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cairn?
Cairn is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KAIRN.
Is cairn 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 /kɛən/ (KAIRN).