How to pronounce sonorous
Say it like SON-er-us. Sonorous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SON).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sonorous. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SON
- er
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sonorous pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of sonorous
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: SON-uh-rus.
What does sonorous mean?
- Capable of giving out a deep, resonant sound.“The highlight of the hike was the sonorous cave, which produced a ringing echo from the hiker’s shouts.”
- Full of sound and rich, as in language or verse.“He was selected to give the opening speech thanks to his imposing, sonorous voice.”
- Wordy or grandiloquent.
Where does sonorous come from?
Borrowed from Latin sonōrus, from sonor (“sound”), early 17th century.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying sonorous
How do you pronounce sonorous?
Say SON-er-us. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɑnɚəs/. In British English it is /ˈsɒnərəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sonorous?
Sonorous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SON). Broken into parts: SON · er · us.
Is sonorous 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 /ˈsɒnərəs/ (SON-uh-rus).