How to pronounce Missouri
Say it like muh-ZUUR-ee. Missouri has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ZUUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Missouri. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- muh
- ZUUR
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Missouri pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- muhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- ZUURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of Missouri
American and British speakers say Missouri in essentially the same way: /məˈzʊri/ in the US and /mɪˈzʊəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: mih-ZOOR-ee.
Other ways to say Missouri
Missouri also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- muh-ZUR-ruh /məˈzɜrə/
What does Missouri mean?
- A state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Capital: Jefferson City. Largest city: Kansas City.
- The longest river in North America, rising in the Rocky Mountains of western Montana and flowing roughly southeast over 2,300 miles through North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, before joining the Mississippi at St. Louis.
- An indigenous Siouan tribe that originally lived in the Great Lakes region of United States.
Where does Missouri come from?
From a French adaptation of Miami wimihsoorita (“the people who have dugout canoes”), a term for the inhabitants of the area around the Missouri River.
Words that rhyme with Missouri
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Missouri.
Questions about saying Missouri
How do you pronounce Missouri?
Say muh-ZUUR-ee. The American pronunciation is /məˈzʊri/. In British English it is /mɪˈzʊəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Missouri?
Missouri has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ZUUR). Broken into parts: muh · ZUUR · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say Missouri the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /məˈzʊri/ and the British form is /mɪˈzʊəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.