How to pronounce poobah
Say it like POO-bah. Poobah has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POO).
VoiceSpeed
Click the play button next to American to hear how to pronounce poobah. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/ˈpubɑ/POO-bah
UK BritishNo British transcription yet. The audio still plays in this accent.
- POO
- bah
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Poobah pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- POOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- bahKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
What does poobah mean?
noun
- A person who holds multiple offices or positions of power at the same time.
- A leader or other important person.
- A pompous, self-important person.
Where does poobah come from?
From Pooh-Bah, a comic character in the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta The Mikado (1885), formed as pooh + bah, both expressing contempt.
Questions about saying poobah
How do you pronounce poobah?
Say POO-bah. The American pronunciation is /ˈpubɑ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in poobah?
Poobah has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POO). Broken into parts: POO · bah.