English pronunciation · Words Starting with H
Herb Pronunciation
Herb is pronounced URB, IPA /ˈɝb/.
URB
US /ˈɝb/ · UK /ˈhɜːb/
Syllables: URB (1 syllable)
noun: A plant used for flavour or medicine, usually a leafy one.
Audio for the American and British pronunciations plays on this page with JavaScript enabled.
Herb in a Sentence
- Add the herb at the very end so it keeps its scent.
- Every herb in the bed is a perennial.
- Which herb goes with lamb?
Common Mispronunciations of Herb
Not HURB, to an American ear
American English drops the h and says URB. Neither version is wrong; they mark the two accents apart as clearly as tomato does.
Not URB, to a British ear
British English sounds the h, giving HURB. The silent-h form is the older one and survived in America.
Tip: The name Herb is said with the h in both countries, even where the plant is not.
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