How to pronounce fother
Say it like FOTH-er. Fother has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FOTH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce fother. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FOTH
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fother pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FOTHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of fother
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: FOTH-uh.
What does fother mean?
- To stop a leak with oakum or old rope (often by drawing a sail under the hull).
Where does fother come from?
From Middle English fother, fothir, from Old Norse fóðr (cognate to Old English fōdor), from Proto-Germanic *fōdrą (compare Dutch voer (“pasture, fodder”), German Futter (“feed”), Swedish foder).
Words that rhyme with fother
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fother.
Words that sound like fother
Questions about saying fother
How do you pronounce fother?
Say FOTH-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈfɑðɚ/. In British English it is /ˈfɒðə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fother?
Fother has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FOTH). Broken into parts: FOTH · er.
Is fother 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 /ˈfɒðə/ (FOTH-uh).
What words sound the same as fother?
Fother sounds the same as father in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.