How to pronounce doctor
Say it like DOK-ter. Doctor has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DOK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce doctor. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DOK
- ter
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Doctor pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DOKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- terKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of doctor
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: DOK-tuh.
Other ways to say doctor
Doctor also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- DAWK-ter /ˈdɔktɚ/
What does doctor mean?
- a licensed medical practitioner“I felt so bad I went to see my doctor”
- children take the roles of physician or patient or nurse and pretend they are at the physician's office“the children explored each other's bodies by playing the game of doctor”
- (Roman Catholic Church) a title conferred on 33 saints who distinguished themselves through the orthodoxy of their theological teaching“the Doctors of the Church greatly influenced Christian thought down to the late Middle Ages”
- alter and make impure, as with the intention to deceive“Sophisticate rose water with geraniol”
- give medical treatment to
- restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken“She repaired her TV set”“Repair my shoes please”
Where does doctor come from?
From Middle English doctor, doctour (“an expert, authority on a subject”), from Anglo-Norman doctour, from Latin doctor (“teacher”), from doceō (“to teach”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with doctor
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of doctor.
Questions about saying doctor
How do you pronounce doctor?
Say DOK-ter. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɑktɚ/. In British English it is /ˈdɒktə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in doctor?
Doctor has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DOK). Broken into parts: DOK · ter.
Is doctor 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 /ˈdɒktə/ (DOK-tuh).