How to pronounce spoonbill
Say it like SPOON-bil. Spoonbill has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SPOON).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce spoonbill. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SPOON
- bil
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Spoonbill pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SPOONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- bilGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of spoonbill
American and British speakers say spoonbill in essentially the same way: /ˈspunˌbɪl/ in the US and /ˈspuːnˌbɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: SPOON-bil.
What does spoonbill mean?
- Any of various large, long-legged wading birds of the genus Platalea, in the ibis family Threskiornithidae, that have a large, flat, spatulate bill.
- A species of fish, Polyodon spathula, native to the river basins of Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri, or its extinct close relatives.
Where does spoonbill come from?
From spoon + bill, owing to the shape of the animal's beak.
Questions about saying spoonbill
How do you pronounce spoonbill?
Say SPOON-bil. The American pronunciation is /ˈspunˌbɪl/. In British English it is /ˈspuːnˌbɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in spoonbill?
Spoonbill has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SPOON). Broken into parts: SPOON · bil.
Do Americans and Brits say spoonbill the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈspunˌbɪl/ and the British form is /ˈspuːnˌbɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.