How to pronounce motor
Say it like MOH-ter. Motor has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce motor. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MOH
- ter
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Motor pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- terKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of motor
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: MOH-tuh.
What does motor mean?
- machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion
- a nonspecific agent that imparts motion“happiness is the aim of all men and the motor of all action”
- travel or be transported in a vehicle“We drove to the university every morning”“They motored to London for the theater”
- conveying information to the muscles from the CNS“motor nerves”
- causing or able to cause motion“a motive force”“motive power”
Where does motor come from?
From Middle English motour (“controller, prime mover; God”), from Latin mōtor (“mover; that which moves something”), from mōtō (“to set in motion”).
Words that rhyme with motor
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of motor.
Questions about saying motor
How do you pronounce motor?
Say MOH-ter. The American pronunciation is /ˈmoʊtɚ/. In British English it is /ˈməʊtə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in motor?
Motor has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MOH). Broken into parts: MOH · ter.
Is motor 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 /ˈməʊtə/ (MOH-tuh).