How to pronounce tern
Say it like TURN. Tern 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 tern. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TURN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tern pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TURNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of tern
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: TURN.
What does tern mean?
- Any of various seabirds of the subfamily Sterninae (of the family Laridae) that are similar to gulls but are smaller and have a forked tail.
- Consisting of three components; ternate, threefold, triple.“tern flowers tern leaves”
Where does tern come from?
Via an East Anglian dialect, from some Scandinavian (North Germanic) language, related to Danish terne, Norwegian terne, and Swedish tärna, all from Old Norse þerna (“tern; maidservant”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *þewernā (“handmaid, young girl”).
Words that rhyme with tern
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of tern.
Words that sound like tern
Questions about saying tern
How do you pronounce tern?
Say TURN. The American pronunciation is /tɝn/. In British English it is /tɜːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tern?
Tern is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TURN.
Is tern 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 /tɜːn/ (TURN).
What words sound the same as tern?
Tern sounds the same as turn in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.