How to pronounce spar
Say it like SPAR. Spar is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce spar. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SPAR
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Spar pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SPARSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of spar
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SPAH.
What does spar mean?
- A rafter of a roof.
- A thick pole or piece of wood.
- Any linear object used as a mast, sprit, yard, boom, pole or gaff.
- To supply or equip (a vessel) with spars.
- To fight, especially as practice for martial arts or hand-to-hand combat.
- To strike with the feet or spurs, as cocks do.
- To contest in words; to wrangle.
Where does spar come from?
From Middle English sparre (“spar, rafter, beam”) (noun), sparren (“to close, bar”) (verb), from Middle Dutch sparre or Middle Low German Sparre, all ultimately from Proto-Germanic *sparrô (“stake, beam”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)par- (“beam, log”).
Words that rhyme with spar
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of spar.
Questions about saying spar
How do you pronounce spar?
Say SPAR. The American pronunciation is /spɑr/. In British English it is /spɑː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in spar?
Spar is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SPAR.
Is spar 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 /spɑː/ (SPAH).