How to pronounce rutherford
Say it like RUHTH-er-ferd. Rutherford has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RUHTH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce rutherford. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RUHTH
- er
- ferd
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rutherford pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RUHTHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- ferdKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of rutherford
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: RUHTH-uh-fud.
What does rutherford mean?
- An obsolete unit of radioactivity (symbol: rd), defined as the activity of a quantity of radioactive material in which one million nuclei decay per second.
Where does rutherford come from?
After Ernest Rutherford.
Questions about saying rutherford
How do you pronounce rutherford?
Say RUHTH-er-ferd. The American pronunciation is /ˈrʌθɚfɚd/. In British English it is /ˈrʌθəfəd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rutherford?
Rutherford has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RUHTH). Broken into parts: RUHTH · er · ferd.
Is rutherford 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 /ˈrʌθəfəd/ (RUHTH-uh-fud).