How to pronounce fever
Say it like FEE-ver. Fever has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce fever. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FEE
- ver
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fever pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- verKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of fever
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: FEE-vuh.
What does fever mean?
- a rise in the temperature of the body; frequently a symptom of infection
- intense nervous anticipation“in a fever of resentment”
Where does fever come from?
From Middle English fever, fevere, from Old English fefer, fefor (“fever”) and Old French fievre (“fever”), from Latin febris (“a fever”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰegʷʰ- (“to burn”).
Words that rhyme with fever
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fever.
Questions about saying fever
How do you pronounce fever?
Say FEE-ver. The American pronunciation is /ˈfivɚ/. In British English it is /ˈfiːvə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fever?
Fever has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FEE). Broken into parts: FEE · ver.
Is fever 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 /ˈfiːvə/ (FEE-vuh).