How to pronounce houlihan
Say it like HOO-lih-han. Houlihan has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce houlihan. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HOO
- lih
- han
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Houlihan pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- lihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- hanKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of houlihan
American and British speakers say houlihan in essentially the same way: /ˈhulɪhæn/ in the US and /ˈhuːlɪhæn/ in the UK.
British respelling: HOO-lih-han.
What does houlihan mean?
- A kind of lasso throw.
Questions about saying houlihan
How do you pronounce houlihan?
Say HOO-lih-han. The American pronunciation is /ˈhulɪhæn/. In British English it is /ˈhuːlɪhæn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in houlihan?
Houlihan has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HOO). Broken into parts: HOO · lih · han.
Do Americans and Brits say houlihan the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈhulɪhæn/ and the British form is /ˈhuːlɪhæn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.