How to pronounce starling
Say it like STAR-ling. Starling has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STAR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce starling. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STAR
- ling
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Starling pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STARSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- lingKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of starling
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: STAH-ling.
What does starling mean?
- A family, Sturnidae, of passerine birds.
- The common starling, Sturnus vulgaris, which has dark, iridescent plumage.
- A fish, rock trout (Hexagrammos spp.), of the North Pacific, especially, Hexagrammos decagrammus, found in US waters.
- An enclosure like a coffer-dam, formed of piles driven closely together before any structure or work, as a protection against the wash of waves, commonly used to protect the piers of a bridge.
- One of the piles used in forming such a breakwater.
Where does starling come from?
From Middle English starling, sterling, sterlinge, from Old English stærling, from stær (“starling”) + -ling (diminutive suffix).
Words that rhyme with starling
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of starling.
Questions about saying starling
How do you pronounce starling?
Say STAR-ling. The American pronunciation is /ˈstɑrlɪŋ/. In British English it is /ˈstɑːlɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in starling?
Starling has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STAR). Broken into parts: STAR · ling.
Is starling 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 /ˈstɑːlɪŋ/ (STAH-ling).