How to pronounce potluck
Say it like POT-luhk. Potluck has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce potluck. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- POT
- luhk
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Potluck pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- POTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- luhkGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of potluck
- The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 1, while British speakers stress syllable 2.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: pot-LUHK.
What does potluck mean?
- A meal, especially one offered to a guest, consisting of whatever food is available.“Here are some leftover beans and meat; we can make a good potluck stew from them.”
- Whatever is available in a particular situation.
- A shared meal consisting of whatever guests have brought (sometimes without prior arrangement); a potlatch; also, a dish of food brought to such a meal.
- To take part in a potluck, where each participant brings a meal to be shared by all.
Where does potluck come from?
From pot + luck. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, sense 3 (“a shared meal consisting of whatever guests have brought”) is unlikely to have been influenced by potlatch.
Questions about saying potluck
How do you pronounce potluck?
Say POT-luhk. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɑtˌlʌk/. In British English it is /ˌpɒtˈlʌk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in potluck?
Potluck has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POT). Broken into parts: POT · luhk.
Is potluck pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 1, while British speakers stress syllable 2. The British form is /ˌpɒtˈlʌk/ (pot-LUHK).