How to pronounce merle
Say it like MURL. Merle 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 merle. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MURL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Merle pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MURLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of merle
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: MURL.
What does merle mean?
- A Eurasian blackbird, Turdus merula.
- Any blackbird.
- A type of mottled coloration on dogs.
- A dog having this coloration.
Where does merle come from?
From Middle English merle, from Old French merle (French merle), from Latin merula (“blackbird”) (whence the directly borrowed Middle English merule, and compare the taxonomic name Turdus merula), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂mes- (“black, blackbird”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with merle
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of merle.
Questions about saying merle
How do you pronounce merle?
Say MURL. The American pronunciation is /mɝl/. In British English it is /mɜːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in merle?
Merle is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: MURL.
Is merle 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 /mɜːl/ (MURL).