How to pronounce roundabout
Say it like ROWN-duh-bowt. Roundabout has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ROWN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce roundabout. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ROWN
- duh
- bowt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Roundabout pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ROWNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
- duhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- bowtGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of roundabout
American and British speakers say roundabout in essentially the same way: /ˈraʊndəˌbaʊt/ in the US and /ˈraʊndəˌbaʊt/ in the UK.
British respelling: ROWN-duh-bowt.
What does roundabout mean?
- Indirect, circuitous, or circumlocutionary.
- Encircling; enveloping; comprehensive.
- A road junction at which traffic streams circularly around a central island.
- A horizontal wheel which rotates around a central axis when pushed and on which children ride, often found in parks as a children's play apparatus.
- A fairground carousel.
- To play on a roundabout (carousel)
- To travel round roundabouts
- To talk in a roundabout, indirect manner
Where does roundabout come from?
From round + about [from early 20th c.].
Questions about saying roundabout
How do you pronounce roundabout?
Say ROWN-duh-bowt. The American pronunciation is /ˈraʊndəˌbaʊt/. In British English it is /ˈraʊndəˌbaʊt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in roundabout?
Roundabout has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ROWN). Broken into parts: ROWN · duh · bowt.
Do Americans and Brits say roundabout the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈraʊndəˌbaʊt/ and the British form is /ˈraʊndəˌbaʊt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.