How to pronounce hearse
Say it like HURS. Hearse 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 hearse. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HURS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hearse pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HURSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of hearse
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HURS.
What does hearse mean?
- A framework of wood or metal placed over the coffin or tomb of a deceased person, and covered with a pall; also, a temporary canopy bearing wax lights and set up in a church, under which the coffin was placed during the funeral ceremonies.
- A grave, coffin, tomb, or sepulchral monument.
- A bier or handbarrow for conveying the dead to the grave.
- Alternative form of hearst (“A hind (female deer) in the second or third year of her age”).
- To enclose in a hearse; to entomb.
Where does hearse come from?
The TLFi considers the "framework to support candles" sense of the French word to be derived more specifically from Medieval Latin hercia; in any case, this is ultimately from the same source.
Words that rhyme with hearse
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of hearse.
Questions about saying hearse
How do you pronounce hearse?
Say HURS. The American pronunciation is /hɝs/. In British English it is /hɜːs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hearse?
Hearse is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HURS.
Is hearse 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 /hɜːs/ (HURS).