How to pronounce pontoon
Say it like pon-TOON. Pontoon has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TOON).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce pontoon. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- pon
- TOON
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pontoon pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ponKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- TOONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of pontoon
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: pon-TOON.
What does pontoon mean?
- A flat-bottomed boat or other floating structure used as a buoyant support for a temporary bridge, dock or landing stage.
- A bridge with floating supports.
- A box used to raise a sunken vessel.
- A card game in which the object is to obtain cards whose value adds up to, or nearly to, 21 but not exceed it.
- A two-card hand totalling 21 in this game.
Where does pontoon come from?
Borrowed from Middle French ponton, from Old French ponton, from Latin pontō, pontōnem (“ferryboat”), from pōns (“bridge”).
Words that rhyme with pontoon
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of pontoon.
Questions about saying pontoon
How do you pronounce pontoon?
Say pon-TOON. The American pronunciation is /pɑnˈtun/. In British English it is /pɒnˈtuːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pontoon?
Pontoon has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TOON). Broken into parts: pon · TOON.
Is pontoon 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 /pɒnˈtuːn/ (pon-TOON).