How to pronounce professor
Say it like pruh-FES-er. Professor has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce professor. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- pruh
- FES
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Professor pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- pruhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- FESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of professor
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: pruh-FES-uh.
What does professor mean?
- someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university
Where does professor come from?
From Middle English professor, professour, from Anglo-Norman proffessur and its etymon Latin professor (“declarer, person who claims knowledge”), from the past participle stem of profiteor (“profess”).
Words that rhyme with professor
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of professor.
Questions about saying professor
How do you pronounce professor?
Say pruh-FES-er. The American pronunciation is /prəˈfɛsɚ/. In British English it is /prəˈfɛsə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in professor?
Professor has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FES). Broken into parts: pruh · FES · er.
Is professor 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 /prəˈfɛsə/ (pruh-FES-uh).