English spellings/Catalogs/B

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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
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, *bêesîde, 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

Bágehot = Bádgett

Baghdád BrE; AmE Bághdad Bágd-

Bahrâin: it is becoming more common in careful speech to sound the Arabic h separately after àh—a hypercorrect spelling pronunciation, as the hr consonant pairing does not occur in native English words

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

Bálham *Bállum

Bàli island = BrE bàrley beer

bålk

Bålkans cf. bálcony

båll game = båwl shout

ballerìna cf. pizzerìa

bállèt *bállây, cf. bállot

bàlm -àm

bàlmy sea = BrE bàrmy daft

Båltimore

báluster cf. bánister

bamboôzle

banàl BrE; AmE bânal

banálity

banāna

bánd music = 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: some British broadcasters pronounce Obama's first name like bárrack, others say "Baráck"; Michelle Obama has a joke about "Barack-oli" = bróccoli (in American English, à = ó)

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.

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

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

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

Belarûs: this post-Soviet word (once literally rendered as 'White Russia', and still called 'Weißrussland' in German) still shows only occasional signs of regularising to *Bélərəs, comparable to Latinate names like Pándarus and Cërberus; probably the most common pronunciation is *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

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

blòodstained one word

blòodthirsty one word

blûe colour = bleŵ blow

blürred cf. cûred

Bǒ Xilaî *Båw-Shilî

bŏard wooden, directors = bŏred boring, cf. brŏad wide

bŏarder boarding = bŏrder edge

bôast

bôat

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

bôld brave = bôwled bowl

bôlder bold = bôulder rock

bôle tree = bôwl

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

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 = 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

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

Brómwich *Brómmidge

Brónte *Brónty; often written Brontë

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 = bŏy child

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

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

Byzántìum *Bŷ-zántìəm