How to pronounce cow
Say it like KOW. Cow 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 cow. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KOW
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cow pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KOWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of cow
American and British speakers say cow in essentially the same way: /kaʊ/ in the US and /kaʊ/ in the UK.
British respelling: KOW.
What does cow mean?
- female of domestic cattle:“`moo-cow' is a child's term”
- mature female of mammals of which the male is called bull
- a large unpleasant woman
- subdue, restrain, or overcome by affecting with a feeling of awe; frighten (as with threats)
Where does cow come from?
The plural kine is from Middle English kyne, kyn, kuin, kiin, kien (“cows”), either a double plural of Middle English ky, kye (“cows”), equivalent to modern kye + -en, or inherited from Old English cūna (“cows', of cows”), genitive plural of cū (“cow”).
Words that rhyme with cow
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cow.
Questions about saying cow
How do you pronounce cow?
Say KOW. The American pronunciation is /kaʊ/. In British English it is /kaʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cow?
Cow is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KOW.
Do Americans and Brits say cow the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kaʊ/ and the British form is /kaʊ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.