How to pronounce hourly
Say it like OUR-lee. Hourly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OUR).
VoiceSpeed
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce hourly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/ˈaʊrli/OUR-lee
UK British/ˈaʊli/OW-lee
- OUR
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hourly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- OURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of hourly
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: OW-lee.
What does hourly mean?
adjective
- occurring every hour or payable by the hour“hourly chimes”“hourly pay”
- every hour; by the hour“daily, hourly, I grew stronger”
Where does hourly come from?
From hour + -ly.
Questions about saying hourly
How do you pronounce hourly?
Say OUR-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈaʊrli/. In British English it is /ˈaʊli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hourly?
Hourly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OUR). Broken into parts: OUR · lee.
Is hourly 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 /ˈaʊli/ (OW-lee).