How to pronounce gather
Say it like GATH-er. Gather has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GATH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce gather. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GATH
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gather pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GATHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of gather
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: GATH-uh.
What does gather mean?
- assemble or get together“gather some stones”“pull your thoughts together”
- collect in one place“We assembled in the church basement”“Let's gather in the dining room”
- collect or gather“Journals are accumulating in my office”“The work keeps piling up”
- sewing consisting of small folds or puckers made by pulling tight a thread in a line of stitching
- the act of gathering something
Where does gather come from?
From Middle English gaderen, from Old English gaderian (“to gather, assemble”), from Proto-West Germanic *gadurōn (“to bring together, unite, gather”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to unite, assemble, keep”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with gather
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of gather.
Questions about saying gather
How do you pronounce gather?
Say GATH-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡæðɚ/. In British English it is /ˈɡæðə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gather?
Gather has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GATH). Broken into parts: GATH · er.
Is gather 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 /ˈɡæðə/ (GATH-uh).