How to pronounce calabash
Say it like KAL-uh-bash. Calabash has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce calabash. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KAL
- uh
- bash
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Calabash pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KALSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- bashGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of calabash
American and British speakers say calabash in essentially the same way: /ˈkæləˌbæʃ/ in the US and /ˈkæləbæʃ/ in the UK.
British respelling: KAL-uh-bash.
What does calabash mean?
- A tree (known as the calabash tree; Crescentia cujete) native to Central and South America, the West Indies, and southern Florida, bearing large, round fruit used to make containers (sense 3); the fruit of this tree.
- The bottle gourd (calabash vine, Lagenaria siceraria), believed to have originated in Africa, which is grown for its fruit that are used as a vegetable and to make containers (sense 3); the fruit of this plant.
- A container made from the mature, dried shell of the fruit of one of the above plants; also, a similarly shaped container made from some other material.
Questions about saying calabash
How do you pronounce calabash?
Say KAL-uh-bash. The American pronunciation is /ˈkæləˌbæʃ/. In British English it is /ˈkæləbæʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in calabash?
Calabash has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAL). Broken into parts: KAL · uh · bash.
Do Americans and Brits say calabash the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈkæləˌbæʃ/ and the British form is /ˈkæləbæʃ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.