How to pronounce canoe
Say it like kuh-NOO. Canoe has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce canoe. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kuh
- NOO
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Canoe 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.
- NOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of canoe
American and British speakers say canoe in essentially the same way: /kəˈnu/ in the US and /kəˈnuː/ in the UK.
British respelling: kuh-NOO.
What does canoe mean?
- small and light boat; pointed at both ends; propelled with a paddle
- travel by canoe“canoe along the canal”
Where does canoe come from?
Adopted in 16th century from Spanish canoa, from Taíno *kanowa (“dugout canoe”) (compare Lokono kanoa (“canoe”), Wayuu anuwa, anua (“boat, canoe”)), from Proto-Arawak *kanawa.
Words that rhyme with canoe
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of canoe.
Questions about saying canoe
How do you pronounce canoe?
Say kuh-NOO. The American pronunciation is /kəˈnu/. In British English it is /kəˈnuː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in canoe?
Canoe has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NOO). Broken into parts: kuh · NOO.
Do Americans and Brits say canoe the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kəˈnu/ and the British form is /kəˈnuː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.