How to pronounce gendarme
Say it like zhahn-DARM. Gendarme has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DARM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce gendarme. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- zhahn
- DARM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gendarme pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- zhahnKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- DARMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of gendarme
- 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: zhon-DAHM.
What does gendarme mean?
- A member of the gendarmerie, a military body charged with police duties.
- A policeman.
- A rock pinnacle on a mountain ridge.
Where does gendarme come from?
Borrowed from French gendarme, a back-formation from gendarmes, from gens d'armes (“people of arms, armed people”), from gens + d' + armes.
Words that rhyme with gendarme
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of gendarme.
Questions about saying gendarme
How do you pronounce gendarme?
Say zhahn-DARM. The American pronunciation is /ʒɑnˈdɑrm/. In British English it is /ʒɒnˈdɑːm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gendarme?
Gendarme has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DARM). Broken into parts: zhahn · DARM.
Is gendarme 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 /ʒɒnˈdɑːm/ (zhon-DAHM).