How to pronounce canary
Say it like kuh-NER-ee. Canary has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce canary. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kuh
- NER
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Canary pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- NERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of canary
American and British speakers say canary in essentially the same way: /kəˈnɛri/ in the US and /kəˈnɛəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: kuh-NAIR-ee.
What does canary mean?
- A small, usually yellow, finch (genus Serinus), a songbird native to the Canary Islands.
- Any of various small birds of different countries, most of which are largely yellow in color.
- A female singer, soprano, a coloratura singer.
- Of a light yellow color.
- To dance nimbly (as in the canary dance).
- To inform or snitch, to betray secrets, especially about illegal activities.
- To test a software change by rolling out to a small set of machines or users before making it available to all.
Where does canary come from?
From French canarie, from Spanish canario, from the Latin Canariae insulae (“Canary Islands”) (Spanish Islas Canarias); from the largest island Insula Canaria (“Dog Island" or "Canine Island”), named for its dogs, from canārius (“canine”), from canis (“dog”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with canary
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of canary.
Questions about saying canary
How do you pronounce canary?
Say kuh-NER-ee. The American pronunciation is /kəˈnɛri/. In British English it is /kəˈnɛəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in canary?
Canary has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NER). Broken into parts: kuh · NER · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say canary the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kəˈnɛri/ and the British form is /kəˈnɛəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.