How to pronounce slender
Say it like SLEN-der. Slender has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SLEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce slender. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SLEN
- der
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Slender pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SLENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- derKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of slender
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SLEN-duh.
What does slender mean?
- being of delicate or slender build“she was slender as a willow shoot is slender”“a slim girl with straight blonde hair”
- very narrow“a thin line across the page”
- having little width in proportion to the length or height“a slender pole”
Where does slender come from?
From Middle English slendre, sclendre, from Old French esclendre (“thin, slender”), from Middle Dutch slinder (“thin, lank”), from Proto-Germanic *slindraz (“sliding, slippery”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃sleydʰ- (“to slip”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with slender
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of slender.
Questions about saying slender
How do you pronounce slender?
Say SLEN-der. The American pronunciation is /ˈslɛndɚ/. In British English it is /ˈslɛndə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in slender?
Slender has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SLEN). Broken into parts: SLEN · der.
Is slender 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 /ˈslɛndə/ (SLEN-duh).