How to pronounce finger
Say it like FING-gher. Finger has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FING).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce finger. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FING
- gher
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Finger pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FINGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- gherKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of finger
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: FING-guh.
What does finger mean?
- feel or handle with the fingers“finger the binding of the book”
- examine by touch“Feel this soft cloth!”“The customer fingered the sweater”
- search for on the computer“I fingered my boss and found that he is not logged on in the afternoons”
- any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)“her fingers were long and thin”
- the length of breadth of a finger used as a linear measure
- one of the parts of a glove that provides covering for a finger or thumb
Where does finger come from?
Cognate with West Frisian finger, German and Low German Finger, Dutch vinger, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish finger, Faroese and Icelandic fingur; see also Old Armenian հինգեր-որդ (hinger-ord, “fifth”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with finger
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of finger.
Questions about saying finger
How do you pronounce finger?
Say FING-gher. The American pronunciation is /ˈfɪŋɡɚ/. In British English it is /ˈfɪŋɡə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in finger?
Finger has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FING). Broken into parts: FING · gher.
Is finger 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 /ˈfɪŋɡə/ (FING-guh).