How to pronounce caribou
Say it like KAR-uh-boo. Caribou has three 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 caribou. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KAR
- uh
- boo
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Caribou 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 "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- booKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of caribou
American and British speakers say caribou in essentially the same way: /ˈkærəbu/ in the US and /ˈkærɪˌbuː/ in the UK.
British respelling: KAR-ih-boo.
What does caribou mean?
- Any of several North American subspecies Rangifer tarandus of the reindeer.
Where does caribou come from?
Borrowed from Canadian French caribou, from Mi'kmaq qalipu (“caribou”; compare qalipi, “to shovel snow”), from Proto-Algonquian *maka·lipowa (“caribou”, literally “it shovels snow”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying caribou
How do you pronounce caribou?
Say KAR-uh-boo. The American pronunciation is /ˈkærəbu/. In British English it is /ˈkærɪˌbuː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in caribou?
Caribou has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAR). Broken into parts: KAR · uh · boo.
Do Americans and Brits say caribou the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈkærəbu/ and the British form is /ˈkærɪˌbuː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.