How to pronounce pooh
Say it like POO. Pooh 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 pooh. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- POO
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pooh 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.
American vs British pronunciation of pooh
American and British speakers say pooh in essentially the same way: /pu/ in the US and /phuː/ in the UK.
British respelling: PHOO.
What does pooh mean?
- Expressing dismissal, contempt, impatience, etc.
- Expressing disgust at an unpleasant smell.
- Alternative form of poo: a minced oath for 'shit'.
- An instance of saying "pooh".
- To say "pooh".
- To say "pooh" to.
Where does pooh come from?
Originally onomatopoeic ("perhaps ancient" according to Online Etymology Dictionary) for a puff of air, after earlier poh and similar to later pew, phew, pho, phoo, poof.
Words that rhyme with pooh
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of pooh.
Questions about saying pooh
How do you pronounce pooh?
Say POO. The American pronunciation is /pu/. In British English it is /phuː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pooh?
Pooh is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: POO.
Do Americans and Brits say pooh the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pu/ and the British form is /phuː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.