How to Pronounce “charcuterie”

American (US)

/ʃɑːrˈkuːtəri/

British (UK)

/ʃɑːˈkjuːtəri/

noun — Cured and prepared meats such as ham, salami and pâté, or the shop that sells them.

Example: They ordered a charcuterie board to share.

A loanword from French. French for a shop selling cured meats. The ch- is the French /ʃ/ (“sh”), not the English /tʃ/, and the -erie ending is a light “-uh-ree” with the stress landing before it.

Where the stress falls. “charcuterie” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /ʃɑːrˈkuːtəri/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ʃɑːrˈkuːtəri/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "charcuterie" mean?

charcuterie (noun): Cured and prepared meats such as ham, salami and pâté, or the shop that sells them. For example — They ordered a charcuterie board to share.

How do you pronounce "charcuterie" in American vs British English?

American English: /ʃɑːrˈkuːtəri/. British English: /ʃɑːˈkjuːtəri/. Play both on this page to hear the difference.

What is the IPA transcription of "charcuterie"?

/ʃɑːrˈkuːtəri/ in American English, /ʃɑːˈkjuːtəri/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "charcuterie"?

“charcuterie” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /ʃɑːrˈkuːtəri/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

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