English spellings/Catalogs/B
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| 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
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-
Bahàmas
Bahrâin *Bàa-râin; sometimes an Arabic h is sounded separately at the end of àh, producing a hypercorrect spelling pronunciation hr 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. Háncock, both -ngkó-
Bangladésh *Báng-gla-désh; *Bàng-gla-dèsh is a more local pronunciation
bánish
Baràck Obama = Baràk Ehud: According to Michelle Obama, "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
Bàrclays *Bàrclyz
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
bárrow = Bárrow
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.
Báton Roûge *Bátn Rûzh
báttlefield one word
båuble decoration, cf. búbble gas
båulk (mostly British, billiards spelling of bålk)
Bavãria
båwdy
Báx person = bácks back
Baŷer, Baŷern
bazàar *bəzàr, cf. bizàrre, *bí-zàr
Bà’ath party BrE = bāth water
bdéllium dé-
bê is = bêe insect
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
beatífic bêə-
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
Bédouín
bêe insect = bê is
bêech tree = beâch sand
Beélzêbúb Bêe-él-
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 bêhemóth or *bêəməth
behôve BrE; AmE behoôve
bèige *bâyzh
Beijíng *Bây-jíng; some say 'zh' for j
bêíng cf. Bíng
Beirût *Bây-roôt
Belarûs: once literally rendered as 'White Russia', and still 'Weißrussland' in German, this post-Soviet word may eventually regularise to *Bélərəs, comparable to Latinate names like Pándarus and Cërberus, but it hasn't happened yet and the most common pronunciation remains *Bélla Roôse
Belarûsian, Bélorússian, etc.
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
Bërnard BrE; AmE Bernàrd
Bérne Switzerland = bãirn baby, or = bürn fire, brook
bérry fruit = bury ground = Bury town = Bérry person
bërth ship = bïrth born
bêsom
bêta BrE; AmE bèta
Bêtelgeûse *Bêetlejûice, *Bétlgëz
Bétjeman *Bétcheman
Bétte Midler = bét; Béttê Davis = Bétty
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
bíb cloth = bíbb lettuce
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
blòod *blúdd
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-
bódíce
bódy
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
bombàrd
bombardìer
Bombây
bómbing *bómming
bôna fîdê
bonhomìê, bonhommìê *bónóm-êe
Bóno
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
boôth = Boôth = Boôthe
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 (*búrra), AmE = búrrow earth, cf. bórrow lend
bosom *bùzəm
Bósporus, or Bósphorus = phósphorus
bôth
bóttleneck
Bôtóx
boûgainvillea *bûgənvília
bòugh tree = bòw low, ship
Bóugh *Bóff
böught *båwt
bôulder rock = bôlder bold = Bôulder Colorado
Boûléz, z sounded
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
brâe hill = brây donkey
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
Brazíl country = Brazíle
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
Brídget makes a minimal pair with Brígid
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
Búchan *Búkhən
Buchánan *Bùkánan
Bucharést *Bùkerést
búck = Búck cf. boòk, búxom
búd = Búd
Budapést *Bùdapést
búddy = Búddy
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
bùlldôzer
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
burial *bérrial, from bury
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; can be b- when meaning intricate
Byzántìum *Bŷ-zántìəm