How to pronounce verse
Say it like VURS. Verse 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 verse. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- VURS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Verse pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VURSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of verse
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: VURS.
What does verse mean?
- literature in metrical form
- a piece of poetry
- a line of metrical text
- compose verses or put into verse“He versified the ancient saga”
- familiarize through thorough study or experience“She versed herself in Roman archeology”
Where does verse come from?
From Middle English vers, from a mixture of Old English fers and Old French vers; both from Latin versus (“a line in writing, and in poetry a verse; (originally) row, furrow”), from vertō (“to turn around”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with verse
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of verse.
Questions about saying verse
How do you pronounce verse?
Say VURS. The American pronunciation is /vɝs/. In British English it is /vɜːs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in verse?
Verse is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: VURS.
Is verse 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 /vɜːs/ (VURS).