English pronunciation · Words Starting with R
Rainbow Pronunciation
Rainbow is pronounced RAYN-boh, IPA /ˈreɪnˌboʊ/.
RAYN-boh
US /ˈreɪnˌboʊ/ · UK /ˈreɪnbəʊ/
Syllables: RAYN · boh (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
noun: An arch of colours in the sky caused by sunlight passing through rain.
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Rainbow in a Sentence
- A rainbow appeared over the harbour at six.
- The children painted a rainbow across the wall.
- We drove towards the end of the rainbow for a laugh.
Common Mispronunciations of Rainbow
Not rayn-BOW rhyming with cow
The bow here is the long oh of elbow, not the ow of a bow from the waist.
Not rayn-BOH
Compounds of two plain words lean on the first of them, so RAYN is the loud half.
Tip: Both halves keep their full vowels, which is how you can hear that the word is really rain plus bow.
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