How to pronounce honourable
Say it like AH-nuh-ruh-bul. Honourable has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce honourable. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AH
- nuh
- ruh
- bul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Honourable pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- nuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- ruhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- bulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of honourable
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: ON-uh-ruh-bul.
What does honourable mean?
- worthy of being honored; entitled to honor and respect“an honorable man”“led an honorable life”
- adhering to ethical and moral principles“it seems ethical and right”“followed the only honorable course of action”
Where does honourable come from?
From Middle English honorable, from Old French honorable, honurable, from Latin honōrābilis, from honōrō (“to honor”); cognate with Italian onorabile, Spanish honorable.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with honourable
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of honourable.
Words that sound like honourable
Questions about saying honourable
How do you pronounce honourable?
Say AH-nuh-ruh-bul. The American pronunciation is /ˈɑnərəbəl/. In British English it is /ˈɒnərəbəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in honourable?
Honourable has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AH). Broken into parts: AH · nuh · ruh · bul.
Is honourable pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈɒnərəbəl/ (ON-uh-ruh-bul).
What words sound the same as honourable?
Honourable sounds the same as honorable in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.