How to pronounce fnord
Say it like FNORD. Fnord 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 fnord. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FNORD
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fnord pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FNORDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of fnord
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: FNAWD.
What does fnord mean?
- A metasyntactic variable, similar to foo and bar.
- A word (which may or may not be "fnord" itself) commonly held to be invisible to the conscious mind, but subliminally causing a sense of unease or sudden anger when encountered. So used in the Illuminatus! trilogy.
- A word defined as having no definition.
Where does fnord come from?
A neologism from the Principia Discordia popularized in the Illuminatus!
Words that rhyme with fnord
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fnord.
Questions about saying fnord
How do you pronounce fnord?
Say FNORD. The American pronunciation is /fnɔrd/. In British English it is /fnɔːd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fnord?
Fnord is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FNORD.
Is fnord 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 /fnɔːd/ (FNAWD).