How to pronounce carbon
Say it like KAR-bun. Carbon has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce carbon. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KAR
- bun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Carbon pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KARSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- bunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of carbon
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: KAH-bun.
What does carbon mean?
- an abundant nonmetallic tetravalent element occurring in three allotropic forms: amorphous carbon and graphite and diamond; occurs in all organic compounds
- a thin paper coated on one side with a dark waxy substance (often containing carbon); used to transfer characters from the original to an under sheet of paper
- a copy made with carbon paper
Where does carbon come from?
Borrowed from French carbone, coined by Antoine Lavoisier, from Latin carbō, carbōnem (“charcoal, coal”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *kerh₃- (“to burn”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- c
Questions about saying carbon
How do you pronounce carbon?
Say KAR-bun. The American pronunciation is /ˈkɑrbən/. In British English it is /ˈkɑːbən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in carbon?
Carbon has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAR). Broken into parts: KAR · bun.
Is carbon 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 /ˈkɑːbən/ (KAH-bun).