How to Pronounce “connoisseur”

American (US)

/ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/

British (UK)

/ˌkɒnəˈsɜː/

noun — An expert judge in matters of taste.

Example: He is a connoisseur of Portuguese wine.

Synonyms: expert, authority

A loanword from French. French oi is /wa/, so the middle is “-nwa-”: “kon-uh-SUR”. The double s is a single /s/.

Where the stress falls. “connoisseur” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the third one — so the third syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/ 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 "connoisseur" mean?

connoisseur (noun): An expert judge in matters of taste. For example — He is a connoisseur of Portuguese wine.

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

American English: /ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/. British English: /ˌkɒnəˈsɜː/. Play both on this page to hear the difference.

What is the IPA transcription of "connoisseur"?

/ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/ in American English, /ˌkɒnəˈsɜː/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "connoisseur"?

“connoisseur” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the third one — so the third syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.