How to pronounce fume
Say it like FYOOM. Fume 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 fume. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FYOOM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fume pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FYOOMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of fume
American and British speakers say fume in essentially the same way: /fjum/ in the US and /fjuːm/ in the UK.
British respelling: FYOOM.
What does fume mean?
- To expose (something) to fumes; specifically, to expose wood, etc., to ammonia in order to produce dark tints.
- To apply or offer incense to.
- To emit fumes.
- A gas or vapor/vapor that is strong-smelling or dangerous to inhale.“Don't stand around in there breathing the fumes while the adhesive cures.”
- A material that has been vaporized from the solid or liquid state to the gas state and re-coalesced to the solid state.“Lead fume is a grayish powder, mainly comprising lead sulfate.”
- Rage or excitement which deprives the mind of self-control.
Where does fume come from?
From Middle English fume, from Old French fum (“smoke, steam, vapor”), from Latin fūmus (“vapor, smoke”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰuh₂mós (“smoke”), from *dʰewh₂- (“to smoke, raise dust”).
Words that rhyme with fume
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fume.
Questions about saying fume
How do you pronounce fume?
Say FYOOM. The American pronunciation is /fjum/. In British English it is /fjuːm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fume?
Fume is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FYOOM.
Do Americans and Brits say fume the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /fjum/ and the British form is /fjuːm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.