How to pronounce trunk
Say it like TRUHNGK. Trunk is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- TRUHNGK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Trunk pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TRUHNGKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of trunk
American and British speakers say trunk in essentially the same way: /trʌŋk/ in the US and /trʌŋk/ in the UK.
British respelling: TRUHNGK.
What does trunk mean?
- The usually single, more or less upright part of a tree, between the roots and the branches.
- The torso; especially, the human torso.
- The conspicuously extended, mobile, nose-like organ of an animal such as a sengi, a tapir or especially an elephant. The trunks of various kinds of animals might be adapted to probing and sniffing, as in the sengis, or be partly prehensile, as in the tapir, or be a versatile prehensile organ for man
- To extract (ores) from the slimes in which they are contained, by means of a trunk.
- To provide simultaneous network access to multiple clients by sharing a set of circuits, carriers, channels, or frequencies.
Where does trunk come from?
From Middle English tronke, trunke, from Old French tronc (“alms box, tree trunk, headless body”), from Latin truncus (“a stock, lopped tree trunk”), from truncus (“cut off, maimed, mutilated”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with trunk
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of trunk.
Questions about saying trunk
How do you pronounce trunk?
Say TRUHNGK. The American pronunciation is /trʌŋk/. In British English it is /trʌŋk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in trunk?
Trunk is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TRUHNGK.
Do Americans and Brits say trunk the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /trʌŋk/ and the British form is /trʌŋk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.