How to pronounce filter
Say it like FIL-ter. Filter has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FIL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce filter. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FIL
- ter
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Filter pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- terKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of filter
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: FIL-tuh.
What does filter mean?
- device that removes something from whatever passes through it
- an electrical device that alters the frequency spectrum of signals passing through it
- remove by passing through a filter“filter out the impurities”
- pass through“Water permeates sand easily”
- run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream“water trickled onto the lawn from the broken hose”“reports began to dribble in”
Where does filter come from?
From Middle English filtre, from Medieval Latin filtrum (compare also Old French feutre (“felt; filter”)), from Frankish *filtir, from Proto-West Germanic *felt.
Words that rhyme with filter
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of filter.
Questions about saying filter
How do you pronounce filter?
Say FIL-ter. The American pronunciation is /ˈfɪltɚ/. In British English it is /ˈfɪltə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in filter?
Filter has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FIL). Broken into parts: FIL · ter.
Is filter 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 /ˈfɪltə/ (FIL-tuh).