How to pronounce silver
Say it like SIL-ver. Silver has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIL).
VoiceSpeed
US American/ˈsɪlvɚ/SIL-ver
UK British/ˈsɪlvə/SIL-vuh
- SIL
- ver
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Silver pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- verKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of silver
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SIL-vuh.
What does silver mean?
noun
- A lustrous, white, metallic element, atomic number 47, atomic weight 107.87, symbol Ag.
- Coins made from silver or any similar white metal.
- Cutlery and other eating utensils, whether silver or made from some other white metal.
- Made from silver.
- Made from another white metal.
- Having a color like silver: a shiny gray.
- To acquire a silvery colour.
- To cover with silver, or with a silvery metal.“to silver a pin; to silver a glass mirror plate with an amalgam of tin and mercury”
- To polish like silver; to impart a brightness to, like that of silver.
Where does silver come from?
Adjective sense 4 (“denoting a twenty-fifth anniversary”) generalized from silver wedding, itself a calque of German Silberhochzeit.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- silverware
- silvern
- silvery
- Ag
- atomic number 47
- ash grey
- ash gray
- silver grey
Questions about saying silver
How do you pronounce silver?
Say SIL-ver. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɪlvɚ/. In British English it is /ˈsɪlvə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in silver?
Silver has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIL). Broken into parts: SIL · ver.
Is silver 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 /ˈsɪlvə/ (SIL-vuh).