2 syllables: a, rab. Stress on a.
AR-uhb
/ˈæɹəb/
arab is pronounced AR-uhb (/ˈæɹəb/). It has two syllables (a-rab), with the stress on "a". Arab is a term used to describe a person from the Arab world, typically speaking Arabic. In general usage it designates a cultural or regional identity rather than a precise nationality. The word can function as a noun or adjective, and its pronunciation often depends on context and language background.
Arab is a term used to describe a person from the Arab world, typically speaking Arabic. In general usage it designates a cultural or regional identity rather than a precise nationality. The word can function as a noun or adjective, and its pronunciation often depends on context and language background.
"The Arab community gathered for the cultural festival."
"He studies Arab literature and its influence on modern poetry."
"Arab cuisine features spices like cumin and cardamom."
Pronounce it as two syllables: /ˈær.əb/ in US/UK/AU. Start with a stressed short a as in 'cat' (æ), then a schwa in the second syllable, ending with a light b. The stress is on the first syllable. Try to avoid an extra vowel after the /b/; keep the ending short. Reference: IPA /ˈær.əb/.
Common errors include turning the first vowel into a long or rounded vowel (e.g., /eɪ/), which dilutes the short-a feel; adding a full vowel after the /b/ (e.g., /ˈær.əbə/); and misplacing stress by stressing the second syllable. Correct by keeping /æ/ crisp, using a reduced /ə/ for the second vowel, and finishing with a clean /b/ without voicing into a following vowel.
Across accents, the /æ/ in the first syllable remains relatively stable in many dialects, but some UK varieties may front or raise it slightly. The second syllable uses a clear /ə/ in most American and Australian speech, while some UK speakers may reduce it more aggressively. The final /b/ is typically unreleased in careful speech and released in casual speech. Overall, there is minimal rhotic variation since there is no /r/ in the word itself, but rhythm and vowel quality can shift slightly.
The difficulty lies mainly in maintaining two-syllable rhythm with a stressed first syllable and a reduced second vowel. Many learners over-articulate the second vowel or merge syllables, making it sound like a single syllable. The short /æ/ can feel tricky if you anticipate a long vowel in other English words. Practice with minimal pairs to lock in the two distinct vowel sounds and the final /b/ release.
Arabic is the root language and identity; in English, 'Arab' is a precise ethnolinguistic term. The non-silent second vowel is reduced to a schwa in fluent speech, and the initial /æ/ should be held slightly longer than expected if the word is emphasized in a sentence. The contrastive feature is the strong first syllable with a crisp /æ/ and a lightly articulated /b/ at the end.
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Arab comes from the Latin Arabicus, which itself derives from the Greek Arábios or Arábou. The term originally referred to the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula and later expanded to denote speakers of Arabic across much of the Middle East and North Africa. In English, Arab has long been used as a noun and adjective to identify ethnicity, language, and culture; however, the noun form Arab (capitalized) is the ethnolinguistic marker, while arab (lowercase) is uncommon and can be considered outdated or nonstandard. The first known uses date back to medieval Latin texts describing peoples of the Arabian Peninsula, with Arabic as the associated language appearing in scholarly and biblical contexts. Over time, the semantics broadened to include anyone belonging to Arab culture, but sensitivity and context remain important in modern usage, where “Arab” is typically capitalized when used as a noun or demonym and lowercase when used as a descriptor in some phrasings. In contemporary discourse, the term should be used with awareness of regional identity, political sensitivities, and person’s own linguistic self-identification.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "arab" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "arab" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "arab"
-arb sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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