How to pronounce kern
Say it like KURN. Kern is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce kern. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KURN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Kern pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KURNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of kern
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: KURN.
What does kern mean?
- Any part of a letter which extends into the space used by another letter.
- Alternative form of quern.
- To adjust the horizontal space between selected pairs of letters (characters or glyphs); to perform such adjustments to a portion of text, according to preset rules.
Where does kern come from?
From French carne (“corner; projecting angle; quill of a pen”), from Latin cardinem (“hinge”) or from Etymology 1.
Words that rhyme with kern
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of kern.
Questions about saying kern
How do you pronounce kern?
Say KURN. The American pronunciation is /kɝn/. In British English it is /kɜːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in kern?
Kern is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KURN.
Is kern 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 /kɜːn/ (KURN).