How to pronounce northern
Say it like NOR-thern. Northern has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NOR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce northern. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NOR
- thern
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Northern pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- thernKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of northern
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: NAW-thun.
What does northern mean?
- in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line“Northern liberals”“northern industry”
- situated in or oriented toward the north“the northern suburbs”“going in a northerly direction”
- coming from the north; used especially of wind“the north wind doth blow”“a northern snowstorm”
- a dialect of Middle English that developed into Scottish Lallans
Where does northern come from?
Morphologically north + -ern.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying northern
How do you pronounce northern?
Say NOR-thern. The American pronunciation is /ˈnɔrðɚn/. In British English it is /ˈnɔːðən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in northern?
Northern has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NOR). Broken into parts: NOR · thern.
Is northern 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 /ˈnɔːðən/ (NAW-thun).