How to pronounce cowl
Say it like KOWL. Cowl 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 cowl. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KOWL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cowl pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KOWLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of cowl
American and British speakers say cowl in essentially the same way: /kaʊl/ in the US and /kaʊl/ in the UK.
British respelling: KOWL.
What does cowl mean?
- A monk's hood that can be pulled forward to cover the face; a robe with such a hood attached to it.
- A mask that covers the majority of the head.
- A thin protective covering over all or part of an engine; also cowling.
- A caul (the amnion which encloses the fetus before birth, especially that part of it which sometimes shrouds a baby’s head at birth).
- To cover with, or as if with, a cowl (hood).
- To wrap or form (something made of fabric) like a cowl.
- To make a monk of (a person).
Where does cowl come from?
From Middle English coule, from Old English cūle, from earlier cugele (“hood, cowl”), from Ecclesiastical Latin cuculla (“monk's cowl”), from Latin cucullus (“hood”), of uncertain origin.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with cowl
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cowl.
Questions about saying cowl
How do you pronounce cowl?
Say KOWL. The American pronunciation is /kaʊl/. In British English it is /kaʊl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cowl?
Cowl is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KOWL.
Do Americans and Brits say cowl the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kaʊl/ and the British form is /kaʊl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.