How to pronounce hoof
Say it like HOOF. Hoof 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 hoof. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HOOF
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hoof pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HOOFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of hoof
American and British speakers say hoof in essentially the same way: /huf/ in the US and /huːf/ in the UK.
British respelling: HOOF.
What does hoof mean?
- The tip of a toe of an ungulate such as a horse, ox or deer, strengthened by a thick keratin covering.
- An ungula.
- The heel of a loaf of bread.
- To trample with hooves.
- To walk.
- To dance, especially as a professional.
Where does hoof come from?
Inherited from Middle English hof, houf, houve, hove, from Old English hōf, from Proto-Germanic *hōfaz (compare West Frisian hoef, Dutch hoef, German Huf, Danish hov, Norwegian hov, Swedish hov), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱoph₂ós (compare S
Words that rhyme with hoof
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of hoof.
Questions about saying hoof
How do you pronounce hoof?
Say HOOF. The American pronunciation is /huf/. In British English it is /huːf/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hoof?
Hoof is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HOOF.
Do Americans and Brits say hoof the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /huf/ and the British form is /huːf/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.