How to pronounce warfare
Say it like WOR-fair. Warfare has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WOR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce warfare. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WOR
- fair
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Warfare pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- fairGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of warfare
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: WAW-fair.
What does warfare mean?
- the waging of armed conflict against an enemy“thousands of people were killed in the war”
- an active struggle between competing entities“a price war”“a war of wits”
Where does warfare come from?
From war + fare; perhaps a shortening of Middle English werre-faringe, werfarynge (“waging war, warfare”, literally “going to war”).
Questions about saying warfare
How do you pronounce warfare?
Say WOR-fair. The American pronunciation is /ˈwɔrˌfɛr/. In British English it is /ˈwɔːˌfɛə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in warfare?
Warfare has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WOR). Broken into parts: WOR · fair.
Is warfare 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 /ˈwɔːˌfɛə/ (WAW-fair).