How to pronounce dole
Say it like DOHL. Dole 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 dole. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DOHL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dole pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DOHLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of dole
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: DOHL.
What does dole mean?
- Distribution; dealing; apportionment.
- Distribution of alms or gifts.
- Money or other goods given as charity.
- Dolus.
- To distribute alms, etc., in small amounts; to share out small portions of a meager resource.
- To distribute (as, alms) in small amounts; to share out (small portions of a meager resource).
Where does dole come from?
From Middle English dol, from Old English dāl (“portion, share, division, allotment”), from Proto-Germanic *dailą (“part, deal”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰayl- (“part, watershed”).
Words that rhyme with dole
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of dole.
Questions about saying dole
How do you pronounce dole?
Say DOHL. The American pronunciation is /doʊl/. In British English it is /dəʊl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dole?
Dole is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: DOHL.
Is dole pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /dəʊl/ (DOHL).