How to pronounce quern
Say it like KWURN. Quern 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 quern. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KWURN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Quern pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KWURNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of quern
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: KWURN.
What does quern mean?
- A mill for grinding corn, especially a handmill made of two circular stones.
- To grind; to use a quern.
Where does quern come from?
From Middle English quern, cwerne, from Old English cweorn (“quern, hand-mill, mill”), from Proto-Germanic *kwernō (“millstone”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷréh₂wō (“heavy stone”), from *gʷréh₂us (“heavy”).
Words that rhyme with quern
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of quern.
Questions about saying quern
How do you pronounce quern?
Say KWURN. The American pronunciation is /kwɝn/. In British English it is /kwɜːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in quern?
Quern is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KWURN.
Is quern 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 /kwɜːn/ (KWURN).