Pronunciation

How to pronounce “term

“term” is pronounced /tɝm/ (TURM) in American English and /tɜːm/ in British English — one syllable.
The sound

Say “term” in one beat

Say it like this

term

/tɝm/

The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /tɜːm/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.

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

American and British are not the same here

American

/tɝm/

British

/tɜːm/

No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.

Meaning

What “term” means

  1. noun

    a word or expression used for some particular thing

    he learned many medical terms

  2. noun

    a limited period of time

    a prison term

  3. noun

    (usually plural) a statement of what is required as part of an agreement

    the contract set out the conditions of the lease

Say it in a sentence

She used a strange term the students didn't recognize.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

3 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

term”, answered

How do you pronounce “term”?

“term” is pronounced /tɝm/ (TURM) in American English and /tɜːm/ in British English — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /tɝm/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “term” have?

One, despite the 1 vowel letters in the spelling. The whole word is /tɝm/ — a single beat.

Is “term” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /tɝm/ (TURM); British English says /tɜːm/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “term” mean?

As a noun: a word or expression used for some particular thing For example: “he learned many medical terms” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “term”?

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

Practise this word

Now say “term” and see every sound

Record it once and sayit lines your audio up against the target sound by sound — what landed, what slipped, and what it sounded like instead.