How to pronounce centre
Say it like SEN-ter. Centre has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce centre. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SEN
- ter
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Centre pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- terKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of centre
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SEN-tuh.
What does centre mean?
- a low-lying region in central France
- an area that is approximately central within some larger region“it is in the center of town”“they ran forward into the heart of the struggle”
- a point equidistant from the ends of a line or the extremities of a figure
- move into the center“That vase in the picture is not centered”
- direct one's attention on something“Please focus on your studies and not on your hobbies”
Words that rhyme with centre
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of centre.
Words that sound like centre
Questions about saying centre
How do you pronounce centre?
Say SEN-ter. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɛntɚ/. In British English it is /ˈsɛntə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in centre?
Centre has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SEN). Broken into parts: SEN · ter.
Is centre 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 /ˈsɛntə/ (SEN-tuh).
What words sound the same as centre?
Centre sounds the same as center in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.