How to pronounce noun
Say it like NOWN. Noun 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 noun. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NOWN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Noun pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NOWNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of noun
American and British speakers say noun in essentially the same way: /naʊn/ in the US and /naʊn/ in the UK.
British respelling: NOWN.
What does noun mean?
- a content word that can be used to refer to a person, place, thing, quality, or action
- the word class that can serve as the subject or object of a verb, the object of a preposition, or in apposition
Where does noun come from?
Inherited from Middle English noun, from Anglo-Norman noun, non, nom, from Latin nōmen (“name; noun”).
Words that rhyme with noun
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of noun.
Questions about saying noun
How do you pronounce noun?
Say NOWN. The American pronunciation is /naʊn/. In British English it is /naʊn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in noun?
Noun is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: NOWN.
Do Americans and Brits say noun the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /naʊn/ and the British form is /naʊn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.