How to pronounce hour
Say it like OW-er. Hour has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OW).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce hour. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- OW
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hour pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- OWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of hour
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: OW-uh.
What does hour mean?
- a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day“the job will take more than an hour”
- clock time“the hour is getting late”
- a special and memorable period“it was their finest hour”
Where does hour come from?
Partly displaced native Old English tīd (“time, hour”), whence Modern English tide.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with hour
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of hour.
Words that sound like hour
Questions about saying hour
How do you pronounce hour?
Say OW-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈaʊɚ/. In British English it is /ˈaʊə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hour?
Hour has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OW). Broken into parts: OW · er.
Is hour 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 /ˈaʊə/ (OW-uh).
What words sound the same as hour?
Hour sounds the same as our in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.