How to pronounce tree
Say it like TREE. Tree 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 tree. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TREE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tree pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TREESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of tree
American and British speakers say tree in essentially the same way: /tri/ in the US and /triː/ in the UK.
British respelling: TREE.
What does tree mean?
- a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
- a figure that branches from a single root“genealogical tree”
- English actor and theatrical producer noted for his lavish productions of Shakespeare (1853-1917)
- force a person or an animal into a position from which he cannot escape
- plant with trees“this lot should be treed so that the house will be shaded in summer”
- chase an animal up a tree“the hunters treed the bear with dogs and killed it”“her dog likes to tree squirrels”
Where does tree come from?
Replaced alternative Middle English beem, from Old English bēam (see beam) and eclipsed non-native Middle English arbre, borrowed from Old French arbre.
Words that rhyme with tree
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of tree.
Questions about saying tree
How do you pronounce tree?
Say TREE. The American pronunciation is /tri/. In British English it is /triː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tree?
Tree is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TREE.
Do Americans and Brits say tree the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /tri/ and the British form is /triː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.