How to pronounce port
Say it like PORT. Port 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 port. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PORT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Port pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PORTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of port
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: PAWT.
What does port mean?
- a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
- sweet dark-red dessert wine originally from Portugal
- an opening (in a wall or ship or armored vehicle) for firing through
- put or turn on the left side, of a ship“port the helm”
- bring to port“the captain ported the ship at night”
- land at or reach a port“The ship finally ported”
- located on the left side of a ship or aircraft
Where does port come from?
From Old English port, borrowed from Latin portus (“port, harbor”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pértus (“crossing”) (and thus a distant doublet of ford).
Words that rhyme with port
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of port.
Questions about saying port
How do you pronounce port?
Say PORT. The American pronunciation is /pɔrt/. In British English it is /pɔːt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in port?
Port is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PORT.
Is port 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 /pɔːt/ (PAWT).