How to pronounce ounce
Say it like OWNS. Ounce is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- OWNS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ounce pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- OWNSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of ounce
American and British speakers say ounce in essentially the same way: /aʊns/ in the US and /aʊns/ in the UK.
British respelling: OWNS.
What does ounce mean?
- a unit of apothecary weight equal to 480 grains or one twelfth of a troy pound
- a unit of weight equal to one sixteenth of a pound or 16 drams or 28.349 grams
- large feline of upland central Asia having long thick whitish fur
Where does ounce come from?
From Middle English ounce, unce, from Middle French once, from Latin ū̆ncia (“Roman ounce, various similar units”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one”).
Questions about saying ounce
How do you pronounce ounce?
Say OWNS. The American pronunciation is /aʊns/. In British English it is /aʊns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ounce?
Ounce is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: OWNS.
Do Americans and Brits say ounce the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /aʊns/ and the British form is /aʊns/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.