English spellings/Catalogs/B: Difference between revisions
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'''Brómwich''' *Brómmidge | '''Brómwich''' *Brómmidge | ||
'''Brónte''' *Brónty; often written '''Brontë | '''Brónte''' *Brónty; often written '''''Brontë''''' (some say "Bróntây") | ||
'''broôch''' ''pin'' AmE; BrE = '''brôach''' ''speak'' | '''broôch''' ''pin'' AmE; BrE = '''brôach''' ''speak'' |
Revision as of 19:04, 3 November 2015
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A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | |
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Use in English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alphabetical word list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Retroalphabetical list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Common misspellings |
This page lists pronunciations of English words that begin with B. To see a different letter navigate with the table above. The apostrophe is treated as the last letter of the alphabet, after Z.
For a pronunciation key, click on the blue "Catalogs" link below the article title.[e]
B = bê is = bêe insect
B-sîde, *bêeside, cf. besîde
bàa sheep = bàh exclamation = BrE bàr drink, chocolate, soap
Bà'ath party BrE = bāth water = Bāth city
baboôn
bâby-boômer
Bábylón
Bàch music = bàch Welsh
báchelor unmarried = Bátchelor person
backbénch adjective one word
báckbiting one word
backfîre one word
báckhand tennis
back-hánded ambiguous
bácklash one word
bácklog one word
báckstab one word
backyàrd one word
bád evil = báde asked
bádly = Báddeley
Bágehot = Bádgett
Baghdád BrE; AmE Bághdad Bágd-
Bahrâin *Bàa-râin; sometimes an Arabic h is sounded separately at the end of àh, producing "hr", a hypercorrect spelling pronunciation not heard elsewhere in English
bâil law, cricket = bâle hay, parachute
bâilie magistrate = Bâiley person (also Ôld Bâiley, London's law court)
bâit hook = bâte fury, restrain
bâize cloth = bâys bay
bálance = Bállance
Bálham *Bállum
Bàli island = BrE bàrley beer
bålk
Bålkans cf. bálcony
båll game = båwl shout
ballerìna cf. pizzerìa
bállèt *bállây, cf. bállot
Bâlliol
bàlm -àm
bàlmy sea = BrE bàrmy daft
Båltimore
báluster cf. bánister
bamboôzle
banàl BrE; AmE bânal
banálity
banāna
bánd group, round = bánned ban
bandôneon
bándwagon one word
Bangkók cf. Háncóck, both -ngk-
Bangladésh *Báng-gla-désh; *Bàng-gla-dèsh is a more local pronunciation
bánish
Baràck Obama = Baràk Ehud: Michelle Obama says that "Barack-oli" sounds like bróccoli (in American English, à = ó), but many British broadcasters routinely mispronounce it as bárrack
Bàrbara cf. Barbéra
barbãrian
barbáric
bàrbecûe *bàrbeqûe is a common error
Bàrça, short for Barcelôna
barcarólle or -óle
Bàrclay *Bàrcly
Bàrclay's *Bàrclíz
bàrd poet, bacon = bàrred bar
Bardôt *Bardô makes a minimal pair with Bordeaux
bãre naked = béãr animal, tolerate
bãrely
Bárenbŏim
bàrgaín *bàrgin
bàrley
bàrman one word
bàr mítzvah
bàrnacle
Bàrnstaple
bàrnstàr
báron nobleman = bárren bare = Bárron = Báron
baróque BrE *bərók, AmE *barôke
bárrack, cf. Baràck = Baràk
bárràge -àzh BrE, AmE *bəràzh
bárrier
Barrôso -zu
bàrtender
bâse basic = bâss treble, cf. báss fish = Báss person
Bàsel Switzerland, cf. Básil person
bâses base -ssíz = bâsses music
bâsês basis -ssêez
bâsic -ss-
Bâsie -ss- cf. Bássey (minimal pair)
básil = Básil -z-
bâsin -ss-
bâsis -ssíss
bāsk sun = Bāsque people
bāsketball one word
báss fish = Báss person
bâss treble = bâse basic
bassoôn (-ssoô-)
bâste pour, sew = bâsed located
batállion cf. báttle
bâte anger, breath = bâit lure
bāth = Bāth city cf. bâthe swim, final e signifying voiced th
bátón, one t, cf. Pátton, Hátton etc.
Bátón Roûge
báttlefield one word
båuble decoration, cf. búbble gas
båulk (mostly British, billiards spelling of bålk)
båwdy
Baŷer, Baŷern
Báx person = bácks back
bazàar *bəzàr, cf. bizàrre, í
Bà’ath party BrE = bāth water
bê is = bêe insect
bdéllium dé-
bêach sand = bêech tree
bêad string = Bêde person
bêan eat = bêen was
béãr tolerate, animal = bãre naked, cf. bêer drink, hêar listen
bêard cf. Bãird (minimal pair)
bêat win, hit, rhythm = bêet sugar
bêater beat BrE = bêta Greek
beátify saint *bê-át-, cf. Sêáttle *Sê-áttle and beaûtify beauty byû-
beátitude bê-át-
Bêatríce, Bêatrix, a as schwa: Bêə-
beau boyfriend = Bô Diddley
Beaûliêu England = Beŵlêy
beaûty *byûty, rhymes and forms a minimal pair with dûty
because ó
Béchèt *Béshây
Béckenham -nəm
Béckham -kəm
béckon
bêe insect = bê is
bêech tree = beâch sand
bêen was = bêan eat
bêer drink = bìêr coffin
bêet sugar = bêat hit
Bèethôven *Bâitovən
bêetle insect = Bêatle Beatles, cf. bêat rhythm, Bêtelgeûse
befŏrehand one word
bég
Bègg = Bâig
behālf *bihāf
behâve
behêmoth *bəhêməth or bêhemoth *bêəməth
behôve BrE; AmE behoôve
bèige *bâyzh
Beijíng *Bây-jíng; some say 'zh' for j
bêíng cf. Bíng
Beirût *Bây-roôt
Bélarus, Belarûs, etc: this post-Soviet word (once literally rendered as 'White Russia', and still called 'Weißrussland' in German) is gradually regularising to *Bélərəs, comparable to Latinate names like Pándarus and Cërberus, but probably the most common pronunciation is still *Belərûs (*Bélla Roôse); also *Belərùs, *Byélə-rûs, etc. Similarly with adjectives: Belarússian, Belarûsian, and Belarûsan
Bélfāst
Bélgium *Béljəm country forms a minimal pair with Bélgian nationality
belîe cf. relŷ, belŷing, lîe
belìêve
béll ring = bélle woman
Béllevûe
béllicôse
bellígerent -j-
béllow shout, bellows cf. belôw under
bélly
Bélvedêre
*belŷ belîe
Bénaud *Bénnô
bénchmark one word
bénefit
Bénettón
benévolent
Bengåli
benîgn -nîne
benígnant -nígnənt
Benìn -nêen
Beninêse
Bénjamin
Bénnett = Bénnet Jane Austen = Bénet
Bénzedrìne
bérèt *bérrây
bërk insult = Bürke person
Bërkelêy California cf. Bàrclaỳ person = BrE Berkeley person
Bërkshîre AmE; BrE *Bàkshə, as with bàrk dog, tree, Bàrking town
Berlín but usually transferred stress in Bërlin Wåll
Bérne Switzerland = bãirn baby, or = bürn fire, brook
bérry fruit = bury ground = Bury town = Bérry person
bërth ship = bïrth born
bêta BrE; AmE bèta
Bêtelgeûse *Bêetlejûice, *Bétlgëz
Bétjeman *Bétcheman
béverage = Béveridge
Béverley England, etc. = Béverly Hills, etc.
bewãre one word, cf. bê awãre
bewíldered BrE *biwíldəd, AmE *bêwíldərd
bezìque *bəzêek
Bhutàn
Bhutanêse
Bhùtto: this is the family's pronunciation, with the vowel sound of pùt, but since the death of Benazir the BBC and other broadcasters have taken to saying "Boôto"
bî- two = bŷ preposition = bŷ- extra = bŷe cricket, goodbye = buŷ sell = bî bisexual
bîas (plural bìases *bîəsíz) = Bŷas
bîased (one s) *bîəst
Bícester *Bíster
bìdet *bêedây
bìêr corpse = bêer drink
bîght loop = bîte teeth = bŷte computer
bígot rhymes with Píggott
Billerícay -rícky
Bíllie female = Bílly male = bílly goat
bíllôw, cf. belôw
bîô-
biógraphy
biólogy
bîôpic, biópic
Bïrmingham BrE *Bïrmingəm, AmE *Bïrming-hám, g not sounded separately
bïrthdate one word
bïrthplace one word
bíscuit *bísket makes a minimal pair with bāsket
bîson cf. bâsin
bít, past tense of bîte, as well as a noun meaning piece
bîte food = bŷte computer = bîght loop
bizàrre *bí-zàr, cf. bazàar *bəzàr
bláckcurrant cf. cúrrent
bláckguard rhymes with lággard
bláckmail
blàh blàh blàh
blānch white = Blānche person
blancmange *bləmónzh
blãre noise = Blãir person
blasphême, blasphêmer, blásphemy
blâtant rhymes with pâtent
bléssed *blést; but mostly as attributive adjective: a *bléssíd thíng
blóc grouping = blóck prevent, wood, building
Bloemfontein *Blùmfontâyn
blónd male person, male and female adjective = blónde female person
blòodstained one word
blòodthirsty one word
blûe colour = bleŵ blow
blûeprint one word
blürred cf. cûred
Bǒ Xilaî *Båw-Shilî
bŏard wooden, directors = bŏred boring, cf. brŏad wide
bŏarder boarding = bŏrder edge
bôast
bôat makes a minimal pair with vôte
Boàteng Bwà-
Boèhner *Bâyner cf. Groèning *Grâyning
Bôeing person = bôwing music
Boer *Bùer or = bŏre
bôgey golf, ghost = bôgie trolley, truck = Bôgey Bogart
Bogotá Spanish accent usually written; pronounced *Bogətàh
Bŏisê *Bŏicey
Bóko Haràm, or Bôko, or Harám, cf. Prôcol Hàrum
bôld brave = bôwled bowl
bôlder bold = bôulder rock
bôle tree = bôwl
Boleýn
Bólingbroke ends like broòk
Bóllywood
bôlt metal = Bôlt = Bôult persons
Bólton city, person = Bôulton person
bómb *bóm
Bombây
bómbing *bómming
bôna fîdê
bonhomìê, bonhommìê *bónóm-êe
bónobo, bonôbo
boôgie-woôgie
boòk cf. búck
boòkcase one word: extended k sound
boòkkeeper one word: extended k sound
boòkshop one word
boôm (though usually boòm boòm)
boôn = Boône
boor rude = Boer South Africa *bùer or bŏre boring
boôst
Boôtes *Bwôtêz often has a diaeresis: Boötes
boôty spoils = boôtie boot
boôze drink = boôs boo
Bordeaux *Bŏr-dô, *Bŏre-dôe, *Bŏre-dôugh, cf. Bardôt, *Bardô, same stress pattern, minimal pair
bŏrder edge = bŏarder boarding
bŏre boring, carried = bŏar animal
bŏred boring = bŏard wooden, directors
bŏredom *bŏrdum
Bŏrgia *Bŏrjə
bŏrn birth = bŏrne wind, out = bŏurn stream
bòrough town BrE -rə, AmE = búrrow earth, cf. bórrow lend
bosom *bùzəm
bôth
bóttleneck
Bôtóx
boûgainvillea *bûgənvília
bòugh tree = bòw low, ship
Bóugh *Bóff
bôulder rock = bôlder bold = Bôulder Colorado
Boulogne *Bəlŏin
böurbon
bŏurgeois bŏrzhwà
bourgeoisìê bŏrzhwà-zêe
bŏurne stream = bŏrn birth = bŏrne carried
Bŏurnemouth *Bŏrnməth
bòw low, ship = bòugh tree
bôw knot, music, arrow = Bôw London = Bô
bòwel
bòwer tree = bàuer euchre
Bôwie David
bôwl all other meanings = bôle tree
bóxing sport = Bóxing Day
bŏycott = Bŏycott
Bŏyd = buŏyed lifted
brâin head cf. Brîan person
brâinchîld one word
brâinwash one word
bránd
Brándeîs ends with îce
Brasília with an s pronounced z, Brazíl with a z: both have a buzzing s in the original Portuguese, but the former, a later import, preserves the original spelling
Brazílian
bréad food = bréd breed
breâk smash, interval = brâke car
breâkaway adjective cf. breâk awây verb
breâkdown noun cf. breâk dòwn verb
bréakfast
breâkthroûgh noun *brâkethrû; cf. breâk throûgh verb
bréast = Brést
bréath noun unvoiced th, brêathe verb voiced th, cf. mòuth, same noun-verb distinction in pronunciation of the th, but always the same spelling
bréathtaking adjective one word
Brécon Wales cf. brácken plant (minimal pair)
bréd breed = bréad food
brêed animal cf. bréad food
Breîvik (*Brŷvik) is closest to the native pronunciation of Anders Behring Breivik, but most English speakers say "Brèivik" (*Brâyvik)
bréthren -dhrən
breŵ
Brîan = Brŷan, cf. brâin, O'Brîen (one is more likely to meet a Brian O'Brien than a Brien O'Brian)
brìêf
brîght -ît
Brísbane *Brízbən, rhymes with Lísbon
Brítain country -tən; = Bríton citizen, Brítten, Brítton, Bríttain persons
Bríttany France ≈ Brítney person
brŏad *bråwd, cf. bŏard = bŏred, minimal pairs
bróccolì *bróckəlêy
brôchure BrE *brôsher, brochûre AmE *brô-shûre
Brómwich *Brómmidge
Brónte *Brónty; often written Brontë (some say "Bróntây")
broôch pin AmE; BrE = brôach speak
broôm sweep = brûme mist
bróthel unvoiced th
bròther voiced th, making a minimal pair with its cockney equivalent, brúvver
Bròúgh *Brúff
broûgham carriage = broôm sweep; or -gha- as schwa, *brûəm
broûhàhà
bròw
bròwbeat
bròwse rhymes with ròuse -z
Brûges = Brûgge *Brûzh
brûise contusion *brûze = breŵs beer
brûsque *broôsk
Bruneî
Brunél
Brússels
Buchánan Bùk-
Bucharést Bùk-
búck, Búck cf. boòk, búxom
búd = Búd
búddy = Búddy
Budapést
Bùddha -ùdə (cf. original spelling of Bùddah Récords)
Bùddhist -ùdi-
Buénos Aîres Argentina –ríz or Ãires *Ãríz, cf. Ãries Ram
búffalo = Búffalo
bùffèt eat *bùffây
búffet hit, t sounded
buffoôn -ffoô-
Bûíck
buíld *bíld
buílding *bílding
Bulawâyo
Bulgãria
bùll
bùlletin
bùllshit one word
bùlwark
búmblebee cf. Dímbleby
búmf
Búnsen bürner
buŏy sea BrE = bŏy child; bûoy sea AmE *bûêe
buŏyant *bŏyant
bürden load = Bürdon person
bûreau *byûrô, plural bûreaux, *byûrôz, cf. pólitburo
bureaucracy *byû-rócracy
bureaucrátic: -eau- as schwa: *byurəcrátic
bürger hamburger = bürgher business = Bërger person
bürgeoning
Burkìna Fáso -ss-
bürn fire, stream = Bÿrne name cf. Bérne Switzerland
bürqa cf. bürger, BrE minimal pair
búrrow ground = AmE bòrôugh town cf. Búrrôughs person
bury ground = bérry tree = Bury England
bús transport = búss kiss
búsed driven or bússed = búst bosom, broke
búses plural, verb *bússes
bùsh
búsing -ss-
business *bízniss, cf. bíz, busy-ness being busy
businessman one word, bíz-
bússed or búsed driven = búst bosom, broken
busy bíz-
busybody *bízzybódy-, one word
busy-ness busy cf. business matter, both bíz-
bûte drug = beaût beautiful = Bûte Scotland
bútler = Bútler = Búttler
bútt head, joke, buttocks = bút however
bútterfly
bútton
búxom
buŷ sell = bŷ preposition = bŷ- incidental = bŷe cricket = bî- two = bî bisexual = Baŷh
bwàna
bŷe-bye!
bŷ-election
bŷ-product
Bÿrd person = bïrd fly
bŷte computer = bîte teeth = bîght bay
Býzantîne, Býzantìne, *Bŷ-zántîne, *Bŷ-zántíne
Byzántìum *Bŷ-zántìəm