How to pronounce plume
Say it like PLOOM. Plume 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 plume. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PLOOM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Plume pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PLOOMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of plume
American and British speakers say plume in essentially the same way: /plum/ in the US and /pluːm/ in the UK.
British respelling: PLOOM.
What does plume mean?
- A token of honor or prowess; that on which one prides oneself; a prize or reward.
- The vane (“flattened, web-like part”) of a feather, especially when on a quill pen or the fletching of an arrow.
- Things resembling a feather.
- To adorn, cover, or furnish with feathers or plumes, or as if with feathers or plumes.
- Chiefly of a bird: to arrange and preen the feathers of, specifically in preparation for flight; hence (figurative), to prepare for (something).
- To congratulate (oneself) proudly, especially concerning something unimportant or when taking credit for another person's effort; to self-congratulate; to preen.“He plumes himself on his skill.”
Where does plume come from?
From Late Middle English plum, plume (“feather; plumage”), from Anglo-Norman plum, plume, from Old French plume, plome (“feather, plumage”), from Latin plūma (“feather, plumage”) (compare Late Latin plūma (“pen, quill”)), from Proto-Italic
Words that rhyme with plume
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of plume.
Questions about saying plume
How do you pronounce plume?
Say PLOOM. The American pronunciation is /plum/. In British English it is /pluːm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in plume?
Plume is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PLOOM.
Do Americans and Brits say plume the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /plum/ and the British form is /pluːm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.