How to pronounce carve
Say it like KARV. Carve is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce carve. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KARV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Carve pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KARVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of carve
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: KAHV.
What does carve mean?
- To cut meat in order to serve it.“You carve the roast and I’ll serve the vegetables.”
- To shape to sculptural effect; to produce (a work) by cutting, or to cut (a material) into a finished work, especially with cuts that are curved rather than only straight slices.“to carve a name into a tree”
- To perform a series of turns without pivoting, so that the tip and tail of the snowboard take the same path.
- The act of carving“Give that turkey a careful carve.”
Where does carve come from?
From Middle English kerven, from Old English ceorfan, from Proto-West Germanic *kerban, from Proto-Germanic *kerbaną, from Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- (“to scratch”).
Words that rhyme with carve
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of carve.
Questions about saying carve
How do you pronounce carve?
Say KARV. The American pronunciation is /kɑrv/. In British English it is /kɑːv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in carve?
Carve is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KARV.
Is carve 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 /kɑːv/ (KAHV).