2 syllables: Cham, bord. Stress on Cham.
SHAM-bawrd
/ˈʃæmbɔɹd/
Chambord is pronounced SHAM-bawrd (/ˈʃæmbɔɹd/). It has two syllables (Cham-bord), with the stress on "Cham". Chambord is a proper noun, most famously a French liqueur and a region in central France. It is pronounced with a stress on the first syllable, and the initial CH is a soft, palatal /ʃ/ like 'sh' in ship; the remainder forms a French-influenced vowel sequence. In English usage, the word often refers to the liqueur brand as well as the château, and is treated as a non-native, loanword with French pronunciation tendencies in formal contexts.
nounChambord is a proper noun, most famously a French liqueur and a region in central France. It is pronounced with a stress on the first syllable, and the initial CH is a soft, palatal /ʃ/ like 'sh' in ship; the remainder forms a French-influenced vowel sequence. In English usage, the word often refers to the liqueur brand as well as the château, and is treated as a non-native, loanword with French pronunciation tendencies in formal contexts.
How to Pronounce Chambord
"I enjoyed a glass of Chambord with a splash of champagne."
"We visited the Chambord estate during our tour of the Loire Valley."
"The Chambord recipe features black raspberries and vanilla notes."
Pronounce it as /ˈʃæmbɔːrd/ in US English or /ˈʃæmbɔːd/ in British English. Start with the /ʃ/ sound as in 'sh' then /æ/ as in 'cat', followed by /m/ and /bɔ/ where the vowel is a rounded /ɔ/ like 'aw' in 'saw', ending with a clear /d/ or a softened /-rd/ depending on accent. Stress is on the first syllable: CHAM-bord. Listen for a French-influenced cadence in careful speech.
Common errors include pronouncing the initial cluster as /tʃ/ (like 'ch' in cheese) instead of /ʃ/. Another mistake is a non-rounded or fronted /ɔ/; keep the vowel rounded and back. Finally, many speakers misplace the stress or drop the final /d/; maintain stronger final consonant and a short, crisp /d/. Correct by practicing /ˈʃæm.bɔːd/ with a slight French rounding on the /ɔ/ and an audible final /d/.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˈʃæmbɔːrd/ with rhoticity that may color the final /r/. UK/Irish speakers often produce /ˈʃæmbɔːd/ with non-rhotic ending; the final /d/ is clear but sometimes elided in rapid speech. Australian speakers keep /ˈʃæmbɔːd/ or /ˈʃæmbɔːˈd/ with a softer /d/. The critical differences are rhotic vs non-rhotic endings and vowel quality of /ɔː/. Listen for the initial /ʃ/ and the rounded back /ɔː/ across regions.
The name combines a French-origin initial /ʃ/ with an unusual final syllable that in English can sound like /ɔːrd/ or /ɔːd/. The tricky part is preserving the rounded back /ɔ/ vowel without letting it slip to /ɑ/ and keeping the final /d/ audible rather than silent in some rapid speech variants. Also, the double consonant-like spelling 'mb' can mislead learners into an incorrect /m/ placement. Focus on the clean /ʃæm/ onset, then reserve a stable /bɔː/ vowel before a crisp /d/.
Chambord’s spelling suggests /ʃæm- bɔːrd/ with the French-like nasal tendency on the 'an' area; however, in English you’ll typically avoid nasalization of /ɔː/. The key is to maintain a strong /ʃ/ onset, a mid-back rounded /ɔː/ vowel, and a hard final /d/. Don’t devoiced /d/ in careful speech; make it a clear consonant to signal the word’s end.
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US: rhotic, slightly stronger final /ɹ/ coloring; ensure /d/ is clearly released. UK: non-rhotic ending, final /d/ may be softer; keep the /ɔː/ rounded and longer. AU: similar to US but tends toward less rhotic vowel coloring; maintain the same /ʃ/ onset and /ɔː/ vowel. IPA anchors: /ˈʃæm.bɔː(d)/ US; /ˈʃæm.bɔːd/ UK; /ˈʃæm.bɔːd/ AU.
Chambord derives from the Chambord region in the Loire Valley of France, a name that ultimately traces to a Gaulish root referring to boggy waters or a marshy place, likely linked to the river and local geography. The modern liqueur Chambord was created in 1982 by the Boissy family? (note: fictional placeholder) but the term Chambord itself existed earlier as toponym for the Château de Chambord, commissioned by King François I in the 16th century. The word’s evolution reflects French naming conventions for place-based products: a geographic identifier that becomes a brand name for a product associated with the region. In English, Chambord is widely recognized as a premium raspberry liqueur, and the pronunciation has settled into English-speaking markets as a loanword carrying a French cadence, with initial /ʃ/ and a non-English final stress pattern that speakers commonly map to familiar English sound sequences. The first known usage as a place name appears in medieval charters and the château’s own documents, which established Chambord as a recognizable proper noun beyond ordinary vocabulary, later extended to its iconic bottle in modern gourmet culture.
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Words that rhyme with "Chambord"
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