How to pronounce sunburn
Say it like SUHN-burn. Sunburn has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SUHN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sunburn. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SUHN
- burn
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sunburn pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SUHNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- burnGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of sunburn
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SUHN-burn.
What does sunburn mean?
- A burn on the skin caused by excess exposure to the sun's rays.
- A burn on the tissue of crop plants or their fruits (especially if they are rich in water like tomatoes, grapes, apples, gooseberries) caused by excess exposure to the sun's rays.
- Suntan.
- To receive a sunburn.
- To burn or tan (someone's skin) by the sun; to allow (a part of one's body) to become sunburnt.
Where does sunburn come from?
From Middle English *sunne burnen, *sonne brennen, *sunne brennen (suggested by derivatives sonne brennynge, sunne brennynge (“sunburn”, literally “sun-burning”) and sunne brente (“sunburnt”), equivalent to sun + burn.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying sunburn
How do you pronounce sunburn?
Say SUHN-burn. The American pronunciation is /ˈsʌnˌbɝn/. In British English it is /ˈsʌnˌbɜːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sunburn?
Sunburn has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SUHN). Broken into parts: SUHN · burn.
Is sunburn 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 /ˈsʌnˌbɜːn/ (SUHN-burn).