How to pronounce don
Say it like DON. Don 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 don. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DON
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Don pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of don
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: DON.
What does don mean?
- a Spanish gentleman or nobleman
- teacher at a university or college (especially at Cambridge or Oxford)
- the head of an organized crime family
- put clothing on one's body“What should I wear today?”“He put on his best suit for the wedding”
Where does don come from?
From Latin dominus (“lord, head of household”), akin to Italian don, Sicilian don, Spanish don; from domus (“house”).
Words that rhyme with don
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of don.
Questions about saying don
How do you pronounce don?
Say DON. The American pronunciation is /dɑn/. In British English it is /dɒn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in don?
Don is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: DON.
Is don pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /dɒn/ (DON).