How to pronounce indenture
Say it like in-DEN-shur. Indenture has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce indenture. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- DEN
- shur
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Indenture pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- DENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- shurKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of indenture
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: in-DEN-shur.
What does indenture mean?
- A contract which binds a person to work for another, under specified conditions, for a specified time (often as an apprentice).
- A contract relating to lending (typically for issuing a bond), a real estate transaction, or a bankruptcy that imposes additional conditions on one or both parties.
- A document, written as duplicates separated by indentations, specifying either of the above contracts.
- To bind a person under such a contract.
- To indent; to make hollows, notches, or wrinkles in; to furrow.“Though age may creep on, and indenture the brow.”
Where does indenture come from?
From Anglo-Norman endenture, from Old French endenteure, from endenter (“to dent”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying indenture
How do you pronounce indenture?
Say in-DEN-shur. The American pronunciation is /ɪnˈdɛnʃɝ/. In British English it is /ɪnˈdɛnʃɜː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in indenture?
Indenture has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DEN). Broken into parts: in · DEN · shur.
Is indenture 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 /ɪnˈdɛnʃɜː/ (in-DEN-shur).