How to pronounce clapboard
Say it like KLAP-bord. Clapboard has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KLAP).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce clapboard. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KLAP
- bord
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Clapboard pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KLAPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- bordGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of clapboard
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: KLAP-bawd.
What does clapboard mean?
- A narrow board, usually thicker at one edge than the other, used as siding for houses and similar structures of frame construction.
- Such boards, arranged horizontally and overlapping with thick edge down, collectively, as siding.
- A clapperboard; a device used in film production, having hinged boards that are brought together with a clap, used to synchronize picture and sound at the start of each take of a motion picture or other video production.
- To cover with clapboards.“to clapboard the sides of a house”
Where does clapboard come from?
From Middle English clapholt, partial translation from Middle Low German klappholt or Middle Dutch klapholt (“barrel stave”), from klappen (“to crack”) + holt (“wood”).
Questions about saying clapboard
How do you pronounce clapboard?
Say KLAP-bord. The American pronunciation is /ˈklæpˌbɔrd/. In British English it is /ˈklæpˌbɔːd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in clapboard?
Clapboard has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KLAP). Broken into parts: KLAP · bord.
Is clapboard 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 /ˈklæpˌbɔːd/ (KLAP-bawd).