How to pronounce neighbour
Say it like NAY-ber. Neighbour has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce neighbour. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NAY
- ber
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Neighbour pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- berKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of neighbour
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: NAY-buh.
What does neighbour mean?
- a person who lives (or is located) near another
- a nearby object of the same kind“Fort Worth is a neighbor of Dallas”“what is the closest neighbor to the Earth?”
- live or be located as a neighbor“the neighboring house”
- be located near or adjacent to“Pakistan neighbors India”
Where does neighbour come from?
Eclipsed non-native Middle English prome (“neighbor”), borrowed from Old French proeme, proime, proisme (“neighbor”) (<< Latin proximus (“nearest, next”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with neighbour
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of neighbour.
Words that sound like neighbour
Questions about saying neighbour
How do you pronounce neighbour?
Say NAY-ber. The American pronunciation is /ˈneɪbɚ/. In British English it is /ˈneɪbə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in neighbour?
Neighbour has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NAY). Broken into parts: NAY · ber.
Is neighbour 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 /ˈneɪbə/ (NAY-buh).
What words sound the same as neighbour?
Neighbour sounds the same as neighbor in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.