How to pronounce elder
Say it like EL-der. Elder has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (EL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce elder. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- EL
- der
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Elder pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- derKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of elder
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: EL-duh.
What does elder mean?
- a person who is older than you are
- any of numerous shrubs or small trees of temperate and subtropical northern hemisphere having white flowers and berrylike fruit
- any of various church officers
- used of the older of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a father from his son“Bill Adams, Sr.”
Where does elder come from?
From Middle English eldre, from Old English eldra, yldra, ieldra, from Proto-Germanic *alþizô.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying elder
How do you pronounce elder?
Say EL-der. The American pronunciation is /ˈɛldɚ/. In British English it is /ˈɛldə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in elder?
Elder has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (EL). Broken into parts: EL · der.
Is elder 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 /ˈɛldə/ (EL-duh).