English spellings/Catalogs/B

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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]

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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: 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

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.

Bátón Roûge

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

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

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

Bilàwal Bhùtto Zardàri

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

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

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

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

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

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

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-

Bürma

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