How to pronounce dormouse
Say it like DOR-mows. Dormouse has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DOR).
- DOR
- mows
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dormouse pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- mowsGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of dormouse
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: DAW-mows.
What does dormouse mean?
- Any of several species of small, mostly European rodents of the family Gliridae.
- Glis glis (edible dormouse).
- Muscardinus avellanarius (hazel dormouse).
Where does dormouse come from?
The word is sometimes conjectured to come from an Anglo-Norman derivative of Old French dormir (“to sleep”) (as *dormouse (“tending to be dormant”), with second element mistaken for mouse), but no such Anglo-Norman term is known to have existed.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- glirid
Questions about saying dormouse
How do you pronounce dormouse?
Say DOR-mows. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɔrˌmaʊs/. In British English it is /ˈdɔːˌmaʊs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dormouse?
Dormouse has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DOR). Broken into parts: DOR · mows.
Is dormouse 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 /ˈdɔːˌmaʊs/ (DAW-mows).