How to pronounce herd
Say it like HURD. Herd 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 herd. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HURD
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Herd pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HURDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of herd
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HURD.
What does herd mean?
- a group of cattle or sheep or other domestic mammals all of the same kind that are herded by humans
- a group of wild mammals of one species that remain together: antelope or elephants or seals or whales or zebra
- a crowd especially of ordinary or undistinguished persons or things“his brilliance raised him above the ruck”“the children resembled a fairy herd”
- cause to herd, drive, or crowd together“We herded the children into a spare classroom”
- move together, like a herd
- keep, move, or drive animals“Who will be herding the cattle when the cowboy dies?”
Where does herd come from?
From Middle English herde, heerde, heorde, from Old English hierd, heord (“herd, flock; keeping, care, custody”), from Proto-West Germanic *herdu, from Proto-Germanic *herdō (“herd”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kerdʰ- (“file, row, herd”).
Words that rhyme with herd
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of herd.
Words that sound like herd
Questions about saying herd
How do you pronounce herd?
Say HURD. The American pronunciation is /hɝd/. In British English it is /hɜːd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in herd?
Herd is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HURD.
Is herd 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 /hɜːd/ (HURD).
What words sound the same as herd?
Herd sounds the same as heard in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.