How to pronounce rot
Say it like ROT. Rot 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 rot. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ROT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rot pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ROTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of rot
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: ROT.
What does rot mean?
- break down“The bodies decomposed in the heat”
- become physically weaker“Political prisoners are wasting away in many prisons all over the world”
- (biology) the process of decay caused by bacterial or fungal action
- unacceptable behavior (especially ludicrously false statements)
Where does rot come from?
Inherited from Middle English roten, rotten, from Old English rotian (“to rot, become corrupted, ulcerate, putrefy”), from Proto-West Germanic *rotēn, from Proto-Germanic *rutāną (“to rot”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with rot
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of rot.
Questions about saying rot
How do you pronounce rot?
Say ROT. The American pronunciation is /rɑt/. In British English it is /rɒt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rot?
Rot is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: ROT.
Is rot pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /rɒt/ (ROT).