How to pronounce course
Say it like KORS. Course 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 course. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KORS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Course pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KORSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of course
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: KAWS.
What does course mean?
- education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings“he took a course in basket weaving”“flirting is not unknown in college classes”
- a connected series of events or actions or developments“the government took a firm course”“historians can only point out those lines for which evidence is available”
- general line of orientation“the river takes a southern course”“the northeastern trend of the coast”
- as might be expected“naturally, the lawyer sent us a huge bill”
- move swiftly through or over“ships coursing the Atlantic”
- move along, of liquids“Water flowed into the cave”“the Missouri feeds into the Mississippi”
- hunt with hounds“He often courses hares”
Where does course come from?
From Middle English cours, from Old French cours, from Latin cursus (“course of a race”), from currō (“run”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- (“to run”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with course
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of course.
Words that sound like course
- coarse
- 'course
Questions about saying course
How do you pronounce course?
Say KORS. The American pronunciation is /kɔrs/. In British English it is /kɔːs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in course?
Course is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KORS.
Is course 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 /kɔːs/ (KAWS).
What words sound the same as course?
Course sounds the same as coarse, 'course in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.