How to pronounce rural
Say it like RUUR-ul. Rural has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RUUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce rural. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RUUR
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rural pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RUURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of rural
American and British speakers say rural in essentially the same way: /ˈrʊrəl/ in the US and /ˈrʊərəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: ROOR-rul.
What does rural mean?
- living in or characteristic of farming or country life“rural people”“large rural households”
- of or relating to the countryside as opposed to the city“rural electrification”“rural free delivery”
Where does rural come from?
From Old French rural, from Latin rūrālis (“rural”), from rūs (“countryside”) + -ālis.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with rural
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of rural.
Questions about saying rural
How do you pronounce rural?
Say RUUR-ul. The American pronunciation is /ˈrʊrəl/. In British English it is /ˈrʊərəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rural?
Rural has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RUUR). Broken into parts: RUUR · ul.
Do Americans and Brits say rural the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈrʊrəl/ and the British form is /ˈrʊərəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.