How to pronounce hamstring
Say it like HAM-string. Hamstring has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HAM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce hamstring. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HAM
- string
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hamstring pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HAMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- stringGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of hamstring
American and British speakers say hamstring in essentially the same way: /ˈhæmˌstrɪŋ/ in the US and /ˈhæmˌstrɪŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: HAM-string.
What does hamstring mean?
- One of the great tendons situated in each side of the ham, or space back of the knee, and connected with the muscles of the back of the thigh.
- The biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus muscles.
- To lame or disable by cutting the tendons of the ham or knee; to hough.
- To cripple; to incapacitate; to disable.
Where does hamstring come from?
From ham (“region back of the knee joint”) + string.
Questions about saying hamstring
How do you pronounce hamstring?
Say HAM-string. The American pronunciation is /ˈhæmˌstrɪŋ/. In British English it is /ˈhæmˌstrɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hamstring?
Hamstring has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HAM). Broken into parts: HAM · string.
Do Americans and Brits say hamstring the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈhæmˌstrɪŋ/ and the British form is /ˈhæmˌstrɪŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.