2 syllables: col, oured. Stress on col.
KUHL-urd
/ˈkʌlɚd/
coloured is pronounced KUHL-urd (/ˈkʌlɚd/). It has two syllables (col-oured), with the stress on "col". Coloured is the British/Canadian spelling for a substance or thing that has been tinted or dyed, or conveys a non-literal characteristic. As an adjective, it describes something with color; as a verb form from color, it indicates the action of imparting color. The word combines the base noun/color with the participial ending -ed, and is pronounced with the regular past-tense /-d/ or /-ɪd/ depending on phonetic context.
Coloured is the British/Canadian spelling for a substance or thing that has been tinted or dyed, or conveys a non-literal characteristic. As an adjective, it describes something with color; as a verb form from color, it indicates the action of imparting color. The word combines the base noun/color with the participial ending -ed, and is pronounced with the regular past-tense /-d/ or /-ɪd/ depending on phonetic context.
"The coloured glass panes let through a soft, amber glow."
"He wore coloured pencils to add shading to his drawing."
"The coloured lights at the festival created a festive atmosphere."
US: /ˈkɑːl.ɚd/ (rhotic): emphasis on CO“L”-ered with a rhotic approximately /ɹ/ in many American accents; second syllable reduces to schwa-like /ɚ/ in rapid speech. UK: /ˈkɒl.əd/ or /ˈkɒld/ in non-rhotic varieties, with a lightly pronounced second syllable; the /r/ is not pronounced. AU: /ˈkɒldə d/? more like /ˈkɒl.dɚ/ with a schwa or a light /ə/ in the second syllable. In all cases: two syllables, primary stress on the first. Ensure the /l/ is clear immediately after the initial vowel, and finish with a soft /d/. For speakers, imagine “col-ored” with a crisp /l/ and a gentle stop at the end. Audio reference: listen to native readers’ pronunciation on Forvo or YouGlish by phrases like “coloured pencils.” IPA specifics: US /ˈkɑː.lɚd/, UK /ˈkɒl.əd/, AU /ˈkɒl.dəd/? adjust to /ˈkɒl.dɚ/ depending on the speaker.
Common mistakes: (1) Pronouncing the second syllable as /ɪd/ or /ɪd/ instead of a light /əd/; keep it as a soft schwa plus /d/ or a quick /əd/ depending on accent. (2) Misplacing the stress, stressing the second syllable by error; keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈkɒl/ or /ˈkɑːl/. (3) Slurring the /l/ or mispronouncing it as /r/ in rhotic accents; ensure a clear /l/ immediately after the initial vowel. Corrections: practice with minimal pairs like “col” vs “curl” to maintain the /l/; practice final /d/ with a short release; practise saying “col-led” with crisp two syllables.” ,
In US English, colour becomes color; coloured often realized as /ˈkɑːl.ɚd/ with rhotic /ɹ/ and a vowel that can be a broad /ɑː/ or /ɔː/ depending on region. Non-rhotic UK English tends to drop the /r/ and favor /ˈkɒl.əd/ or /ˈkɒld/ with a shorter, clipped second vowel. Australian typically features /ˈkɒl.dɚ/ or /ˈkɒlə.d/ with a non-rhotic influence but with a more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable; many speakers use a light /ɚ/ in the second syllable. Rhoticity in US makes the /r/ audible; UK/AU often reduce or omit the rhotic. Vowel length: US tends to a longer first vowel before /l/ in many dialects; UK uses shorter /ɒ/ or /ɔː/. In all cases: two syllables; maintain crisp /l/ and a small, quick final /d/.
The difficulty often lies in the rapid, two-syllable structure with a strong initial consonant cluster /k/ + /l/ followed by a light, almost silenced second vowel, then a final /d/. The second syllable often reduces to a schwa or a syllabic /d/ in rapid speech, which blends with the final /d/ in some dialects. Additionally, rhotic vs non-rhotic differences can trip learners who map US sounds onto UK variants, especially with the vowel quality in the first syllable. Practicing the light /ə/ in the second syllable and the precise /l/ after the initial vowel will help. Look for the two distinct peaks: initial stressed syllable and the reduced second syllable.
A unique feature is maintaining a crisp, clear /l/ immediately after the initial vowel and avoiding a heavy second syllable; speakers often mispronounce by turning it into /ˈkɒl-əd/ with a too-strong second vowel or by eliding the second syllable entirely. The correct approach preserves two distinct syllables with a light /ə/ or /ɪ/ in the second, followed by a final /d/. Also, ensure you don’t over-pronounce the /r/ in rhotic dialects; in non-rhotic British, the /r/ is silent, affecting the preceding vowel length. IPA notes: US /ˈkɑːl.ɚd/, UK /ˈkɒl.ɪd/ or /ˈkɒl.əd/.
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Coloured derives from the old French couleur and Latin colōr, meaning color or hue. The English word color entered Middle English from Old French couleur, itself from Latin culōr. The past participle form -ed extended to adjectives in English, yielding coloured to describe something having color or hue. Historically, spellings in British English favored -our (coloured, colour), whereas American English consolidated the form without the -u (colored). The term evolved from generic “color” to include both dyes and non-literal meanings (coloured by bias, coloured glass, etc.). In the 14th–16th centuries, as dyes and pigments gained scientific description, “coloured” became a standard adjective and past participle form for verbs like color. First known uses appear in Middle English texts, aligning with the expansion of trade in pigments and the adoption of French-derived spelling conventions. Over time, coloured also acquired idiomatic senses (coloured lights, colour-coded systems) that emphasize distinct hues or categories. The word remains common in British Commonwealth contexts, where the -our spelling is preserved, contrasting with US usage.
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Words that rhyme with "coloured"
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