How to pronounce junior
Say it like JOO-nyer. Junior has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce junior. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- JOO
- nyer
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Junior pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- JOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- nyerKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of junior
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: JOO-nyuh.
What does junior mean?
- term of address for a disrespectful and annoying male“look here, junior, it's none of your business”
- a third-year undergraduate
- the younger of two persons“she is two years my junior”
- younger; lower in rank; shorter in length of tenure or service
- used of the third or next to final year in United States high school or college“the junior class”“a third-year student”
- including or intended for youthful persons“a junior sports league”“junior fashions”
Where does junior come from?
Borrowed from Latin junior, a contraction of iuvenior (“younger”) which is the comparative of iuvenis (“young”); see juvenile.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying junior
How do you pronounce junior?
Say JOO-nyer. The American pronunciation is /ˈdʒunjɚ/. In British English it is /ˈdʒuːnjə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in junior?
Junior has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JOO). Broken into parts: JOO · nyer.
Is junior 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 /ˈdʒuːnjə/ (JOO-nyuh).