How to pronounce widower
Say it like WID-oh-er. Widower has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WID).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce widower. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WID
- oh
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Widower pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WIDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of widower
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: WID-oh-uh.
What does widower mean?
- A man whose spouse has died (and who has not remarried); a man in relation to his late spouse; masculine of widow.
Where does widower come from?
From Middle English widwere, equivalent to widow + -er.
Questions about saying widower
How do you pronounce widower?
Say WID-oh-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈwɪdoʊɚ/. In British English it is /ˈwɪdəʊə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in widower?
Widower has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WID). Broken into parts: WID · oh · er.
Is widower 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 /ˈwɪdəʊə/ (WID-oh-uh).