How to pronounce perfume
Say it like per-FYOOM. Perfume has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FYOOM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce perfume. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- per
- FYOOM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Perfume pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- perKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- FYOOMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of perfume
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: puh-FYOOM.
What does perfume mean?
- a distinctive odor that is pleasant
- a toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor
- fill or impregnate with an odor“orange blossoms perfumed the air in the garden”
- apply perfume to“She perfumes herself every day”
Where does perfume come from?
Borrowed from Middle French parfum, perfum.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with perfume
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of perfume.
Questions about saying perfume
How do you pronounce perfume?
Say per-FYOOM. The American pronunciation is /pɚˈfjum/. In British English it is /pəˈfjuːm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in perfume?
Perfume has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FYOOM). Broken into parts: per · FYOOM.
Is perfume 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 /pəˈfjuːm/ (puh-FYOOM).