How to pronounce iron
Say it like EYE-ern. Iron has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (EYE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce iron. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- EYE
- ern
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tip: The r and o swap places when spoken: 'EYE-ern'.
Iron pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- EYESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- ernKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of iron
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: EYE-un.
What does iron mean?
- a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
- a golf club that has a relatively narrow metal head
- implement used to brand live stock
- press and smooth with a heated iron“press your shirts”“she stood there ironing”
- extremely robust“an iron constitution”
Where does iron come from?
Cognate with Scots airn, ern (“iron”), Yola eeren (“iron”), Saterland Frisian Iersen (“iron”), West Frisian izer (“iron”), Bavarian Eisn (“iron”), Cimbrian aizarn (“iron”), Dutch ijzer (“iron”), German, Luxembourgish Eisen (“iron”), German
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying iron
How do you pronounce iron?
Say EYE-ern. The American pronunciation is /ˈaɪɚn/. In British English it is /ˈaɪən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in iron?
Iron has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (EYE). Broken into parts: EYE · ern.
Is iron 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 /ˈaɪən/ (EYE-un).