How to pronounce tuft
Say it like TUHFT. Tuft 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 tuft. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TUHFT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tuft pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TUHFTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of tuft
American and British speakers say tuft in essentially the same way: /tʌft/ in the US and /tʌft/ in the UK.
British respelling: TUHFT.
What does tuft mean?
- A bunch of feathers, grass or hair, etc., held together at the base.
- A cluster of threads drawn tightly through upholstery, a mattress or a quilt, etc., to secure and strengthen the padding.
- A small clump of trees or bushes.
- To provide or decorate with a tuft or tufts.
- To form into tufts.
- To secure and strengthen (a mattress, quilt, etc.) with tufts. This hinders the stuffing from moving.
Where does tuft come from?
From Middle English tuft, toft, tofte, an alteration of earlier *tuffe (> Modern English tuff), from Old French touffe, tuffe, toffe, tofe (“tuft”) (modern French touffe), from Late Latin tūfa (“helmet crest”) (near Vegezio).
Words that rhyme with tuft
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of tuft.
Questions about saying tuft
How do you pronounce tuft?
Say TUHFT. The American pronunciation is /tʌft/. In British English it is /tʌft/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tuft?
Tuft is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TUHFT.
Do Americans and Brits say tuft the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /tʌft/ and the British form is /tʌft/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.