How to pronounce chaff
Say it like CHAF. Chaff 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 chaff. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- CHAF
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Chaff pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- CHAFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of chaff
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: CHAHF.
What does chaff mean?
- To use light, idle language by way of fun or ridicule; to banter.
- To make fun of; to turn into ridicule by addressing in ironical or bantering language.
- To cut up (straw or hay) for use as cattle feed.
- The inedible parts of a grain-producing plant.“To separate out the chaff, early cultures tossed baskets of grain into the air and let the wind blow away the lighter chaff.”
- Straw or hay cut up fine for the food of cattle.
- Any excess or unwanted material, resource, or person; anything worthless.
Where does chaff come from?
From Middle English chaf, from Old English ċeaf, from Proto-West Germanic *kaf.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with chaff
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of chaff.
Questions about saying chaff
How do you pronounce chaff?
Say CHAF. The American pronunciation is /tʃæf/. In British English it is /tʃɑːf/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in chaff?
Chaff is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: CHAF.
Is chaff pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat. The British form is /tʃɑːf/ (CHAHF).