How to pronounce contour
Say it like KON-toor. Contour has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KON).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce contour. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KON
- toor
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Contour pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- toorGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
American vs British pronunciation of contour
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: KON-toor.
What does contour mean?
- An outline, boundary or border, usually of curved shape.“the low drag contour of a modern automobile”
- A line on a map or chart delineating those points which have the same altitude or other plotted quantity: a contour line or isopleth; (metonymically) the landform or its surface.
- a speech sound which behaves as a single segment, but which makes an internal transition from one quality, place, or manner to another.
- To form a more or less curved boundary or border upon.
- To mark with contour lines.
- To practise the makeup technique of contouring.
Where does contour come from?
Borrowed from French contour, from contourner, equivalent to con- + tour.
Questions about saying contour
How do you pronounce contour?
Say KON-toor. The American pronunciation is /ˈkɑnˌtʊr/. In British English it is /ˈkɒntʊə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in contour?
Contour has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KON). Broken into parts: KON · toor.
Is contour 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 /ˈkɒntʊə/ (KON-toor).