How to pronounce ombudsman
Say it like OM-budz-mun. Ombudsman has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ombudsman. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- OM
- budz
- mun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ombudsman pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- OMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- budzKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- munKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of ombudsman
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: OM-budz-mun.
What does ombudsman mean?
- An appointed official whose duty is to investigate complaints, generally on behalf of individuals such as consumers or taxpayers, against institutions such as companies and government departments.
- A designated internal mediator in an organization whose duty is to assist members with conflict resolution and other problems and to serve as an independent consultant to recommend changes to policies or procedures to improve organization effectiveness, efficiency, and humaneness.
Where does ombudsman come from?
Borrowed from Swedish ombudsman (equivalent to ombud (“representative, proxy”) + man), from Old Norse umboðsmaðr.
Questions about saying ombudsman
How do you pronounce ombudsman?
Say OM-budz-mun. The American pronunciation is /ˈɑmbədzmən/. In British English it is /ˈɒmbədzmən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ombudsman?
Ombudsman has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OM). Broken into parts: OM · budz · mun.
Is ombudsman pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈɒmbədzmən/ (OM-budz-mun).