How to pronounce fair
Say it like FAIR. Fair 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 fair. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FAIR
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fair pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FAIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of fair
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: FAIR.
What does fair mean?
- free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules“a fair referee”“fair deal”
- not excessive or extreme“a fairish income”“reasonable prices”
- very pleasing to the eye“my bonny lass”“there's a bonny bay beyond”
- a traveling show; having sideshows and rides and games of skill etc.
- gathering of producers to promote business“world fair”“trade fair”
- a competitive exhibition of farm products“she won a blue ribbon for her baking at the county fair”
- join so that the external surfaces blend smoothly
Where does fair come from?
Cognate with Old High German and Old Saxon fagar (“beautiful, fair”), Danish fager, favr (“fair, pretty, wonderful”), Faroese and Icelandic fagur (“beautiful, fair”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish fager (“fair, pretty”),
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
- unfair
- foul
Words that rhyme with fair
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fair.
Words that sound like fair
Questions about saying fair
How do you pronounce fair?
Say FAIR. The American pronunciation is /fɛr/. In British English it is /fɛə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fair?
Fair is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FAIR.
Is fair 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 /fɛə/ (FAIR).
What words sound the same as fair?
Fair sounds the same as fare in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.