How to pronounce cork
Say it like KORK. Cork 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 cork. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KORK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cork pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KORKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of cork
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: KAWK.
What does cork mean?
- outer bark of the cork oak; used for stoppers for bottles etc.
- (botany) outer tissue of bark; a protective layer of dead cells
- a port city in southern Ireland
- close a bottle with a cork
- stuff with cork“The baseball player stuffed his bat with cork to make it lighter”
Where does cork come from?
From Middle English cork (“oak bark, cork”), from Middle Dutch curc (“cork (material or object)”), either from Spanish corcho (“cork (material or object)”) (also corcha or corche) or from Old Spanish alcorque (“cork sole”).
Words that rhyme with cork
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cork.
Questions about saying cork
How do you pronounce cork?
Say KORK. The American pronunciation is /kɔrk/. In British English it is /kɔːk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cork?
Cork is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KORK.
Is cork 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 /kɔːk/ (KAWK).