How to pronounce den
Say it like DEN. Den 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 den. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DEN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Den pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of den
American and British speakers say den in essentially the same way: /dɛn/ in the US and /dɛn/ in the UK.
British respelling: DEN.
What does den mean?
- the habitation of wild animals
- a hiding place; usually a remote place used by outlaws
- a unit of 8 to 10 cub scouts
Where does den come from?
From Middle English den, from Old English denn (“den, lair (of a beast), cave; a swine-pasture, a woodland pasture for swine”), from Proto-West Germanic *dani (“threshing-floor, barn-floor”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with den
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of den.
Questions about saying den
How do you pronounce den?
Say DEN. The American pronunciation is /dɛn/. In British English it is /dɛn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in den?
Den is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: DEN.
Do Americans and Brits say den the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɛn/ and the British form is /dɛn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.