How to pronounce curve
Say it like KURV. Curve 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 curve. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KURV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Curve pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KURVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of curve
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: KURV.
What does curve mean?
- the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
- a line on a graph representing data
- a pitch of a baseball that is thrown with spin so that its path curves as it approaches the batter
- turn sharply; change direction abruptly“The car cut to the left at the intersection”“The motorbike veered to the right”
- extend in curves and turns“The road winds around the lake”“the path twisted through the forest”
- form an arch or curve“her back arches”“her hips curve nicely”
Where does curve come from?
Attested since the 1690s, from Latin curvus (“bent, curved”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to bend, curve, turn”) + *-wós.
Words that rhyme with curve
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of curve.
Questions about saying curve
How do you pronounce curve?
Say KURV. The American pronunciation is /kɝv/. In British English it is /kɜːv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in curve?
Curve is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KURV.
Is curve 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 /kɜːv/ (KURV).