How to pronounce fern
Say it like FURN. Fern is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- FURN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fern pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FURNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of fern
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: FURN.
What does fern mean?
- Any of a group of some twenty thousand species of vascular plants classified in the division Pteridophyta that lack seeds and reproduce by shedding spores to initiate an alternation of generations.
- A light green color inspired by the color of ferns.
Where does fern come from?
Cognate with Scots fairn (“fern”), North Frisian farne (“fern”), West Frisian fear (“fern”), Dutch varen (“fern”), German Farn, Farm (“fern”), Luxembourgish Far (“fern”); also Breton raden (“fern”), Cornish reden (“ferns; brackens”), Welsh
Words that rhyme with fern
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fern.
Questions about saying fern
How do you pronounce fern?
Say FURN. The American pronunciation is /fɝn/. In British English it is /fɜːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fern?
Fern is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FURN.
Is fern 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 /fɜːn/ (FURN).