How to pronounce honour
Say it like ON-er. Honour has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ON).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce honour. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ON
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Honour pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of honour
- 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: ON-uh.
What does honour mean?
- the state of being honored
- a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction“an award for bravery”
- the quality of being honorable and having a good name“a man of honor”
- bestow honor or rewards upon“Today we honor our soldiers”“The scout was rewarded for courageous action”
- show respect towards“honor your parents!”
- accept as pay“we honor checks and drafts”
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with honour
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of honour.
Words that sound like honour
Questions about saying honour
How do you pronounce honour?
Say ON-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈɑnɚ/. In British English it is /ˈɒnə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in honour?
Honour has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ON). Broken into parts: ON · er.
Is honour 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 /ˈɒnə/ (ON-uh).
What words sound the same as honour?
Honour sounds the same as honor in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.