How to pronounce heartburn
Say it like HART-burn. Heartburn has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HART).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce heartburn. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HART
- burn
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Heartburn pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HARTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- burnGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of heartburn
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HAHT-burn.
What does heartburn mean?
- A burning pain in the chest that is caused by stomach acid entering the gullet.
- annoyance, heartache, or similar feelings.
Where does heartburn come from?
From Middle English hertbryne, herte-bren (“lust", also "heartburn”, literally “heart burn”), equivalent to heart + burn.
Questions about saying heartburn
How do you pronounce heartburn?
Say HART-burn. The American pronunciation is /ˈhɑrtˌbɝn/. In British English it is /ˈhɑːtˌbɜːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in heartburn?
Heartburn has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HART). Broken into parts: HART · burn.
Is heartburn 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 /ˈhɑːtˌbɜːn/ (HAHT-burn).