How to pronounce shamrock
Say it like SHAM-rahk. Shamrock has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHAM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shamrock. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHAM
- rahk
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shamrock pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHAMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- rahkKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of shamrock
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: SHAM-rok.
What does shamrock mean?
- The trefoil leaf of any small clover, especially Trifolium repens, or such a leaf from a clover-like plant, commonly used as a symbol of Ireland.“She wore a shamrock in honor of her Irish ancestry.”
- Any of several species of small clover-like plant species, with trefoil leaves, especially Trifolium repens.“The fields were covered with shamrocks.”
Where does shamrock come from?
From Irish seamróg, from Old Irish semróc, diminutive of semar, semair (“clover”), from Proto-Celtic *semarā, *semaris (compare Gaulish uisumaris (“clover”)), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *semh₁r-, *smeh₁r-.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying shamrock
How do you pronounce shamrock?
Say SHAM-rahk. The American pronunciation is /ˈʃæmrɑk/. In British English it is /ˈʃæmrɒk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shamrock?
Shamrock has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHAM). Broken into parts: SHAM · rahk.
Is shamrock 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 /ˈʃæmrɒk/ (SHAM-rok).