Pronunciation

How to pronounce “brain

“brain” is pronounced /bɹeɪn/ (BRAYN) — one syllable.
The sound

Say “brain” in one beat

Say it like this

brain

/bɹeɪn/

The voice you hear here is American; a British voice is available in the app's settings.

1 beat
  1. brainbɹeɪn
IPA (American)
/bɹeɪn/
IPA (British)
/bɹeɪn/
Respelling
BRAYN
Syllables
1 — brain
Stress
One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /bɹeɪn/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.
Part of speech
noun, verb
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Meaning

What “brain” means

  1. noun

    that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

  2. noun

    mental ability

    he's got plenty of brains but no common sense

  3. noun

    that which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason

    his mind wandered

Say it in a sentence

Puzzles are supposed to keep the brain sharp as you age.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

4 sounds, in the order you say them

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

brain”, answered

How do you pronounce “brain”?

“brain” is pronounced /bɹeɪn/ (BRAYN) — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /bɹeɪn/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “brain” have?

One, despite the 2 vowel letters in the spelling. The whole word is /bɹeɪn/ — a single beat.

What does “brain” mean?

As a noun: that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord For example: “Puzzles are supposed to keep the brain sharp as you age.” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “brain”?

One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /bɹeɪn/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.

Practise this word

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