2 syllables: deal, er. Stress on deal.
DEE-lur
/ˈdilɚ/
dealer is pronounced DEE-lur (/ˈdilɚ/). It has two syllables (deal-er), with the stress on "deal". Dealer refers to a person who distributes items (often illicitly) or a person who negotiates sales, especially in formal contexts a car dealer. In everyday use, it denotes someone who arranges or handles something for others, or a person who dispenses cards or goods in games. The term can carry neutral, professional, or negatively connoted tones depending on context.
Dealer refers to a person who distributes items (often illicitly) or a person who negotiates sales, especially in formal contexts a car dealer. In everyday use, it denotes someone who arranges or handles something for others, or a person who dispenses cards or goods in games. The term can carry neutral, professional, or negatively connoted tones depending on context.
"The car dealership has a new dealer who specializes in electric vehicles."
"In blackjack, the dealer manages the cards and oversees the game."
"She’s the go-to dealer for vintage guitars at the market."
You pronounce it as DEE-lər in US and UK English, with two syllables and primary stress on the first. The first syllable uses a long /iː/ as in 'see', the second is a reduced schwa /ə/. In careful articulation you’ll crown the /l/ clearly before the final /ər/ sequence. IPA: US /ˈdiː.lɚ/ ; UK /ˈdiː.lə/; AU /ˈdiː.lə/. Audio reference: listen for the clear /iː/ then a soft, unstressed final syllable.”,
Common issues: (1) Sprouting a strong final /ɚ/ or /ər/ in all accents; instead, reduce to a neutral schwa /ə/ for non-rhotic segments. (2) Sliding to /dɪ/ or /ˈdɪl ər/ with a short /ɪ/ on the first syllable; maintain a clear /iː/ vowel. (3) Over-articulating the /r/ in non-rhotic accents can make it sound off; in US you’ll hear rhotic postvocalic /r/; UK often non-rhotic. Corrections: use /ˈdiː.lə/ or /ˈdiː.lɚ/ with a light final /ə/ or /ɚ/ depending on accent, and ensure a crisp initial /d/ and lateral /l/ before the final vowel.”]} ,{
In US English, it’s typically /ˈdiː.lɚ/ with a rhotic final /ɚ/; the /r/ is pronounced and the stress on the first syllable. In UK English, many speakers are non-rhotic, giving /ˈdiː.lə/ with a reduced second syllable and no postvocalic /r/. Australian English is rhotic in most contexts but often features a shorter, centralized /ə/ in the final vowel and a more vowel-downgliding /iː/ in the first syllable, yielding /ˈdiː.lə/. The major differences involve rhoticity and vowel quality in the second syllable.”} ,{
Two core challenges: (1) The two-syllable rhythm with the stressed first syllable and a short, reduced second sylable can feel tricky when speaking quickly; keep the first syllable clear with a long /iː/ and then relax the second /ə/ to a quick schwa. (2) The final /ər/ vs /ə/ difference across accents: US often retains a pronounced rhotic /ɚ/; UK often drops postvocalic r, leaving /ˈdiː.lə/. Practice: anchor the /l/ position and ensure the tongue tip is close to the alveolar ridge for the /l/ before the vowel.”} ,{
No; all letters represent sound. The d is pronounced, the e in the first syllable indicates a long /iː/ vowel, the a is part of the /iːl/ sequence, and the final r or schwa depends on accent. The common confusion comes from non-rhotic accents where the final /r/ is not pronounced; in those varieties, the final sound is a reduced /ə/ rather than an audible /r/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "dealer"!
Dealer comes from the Middle English word delere, meaning one who deals or distributes goods, from the Old French deleor or delor, stemming from Latin deliberare ‘to weigh, consider, or distribute’. The term evolved in commerce and gaming: a dealer is someone who handles goods or negotiates transactions, then specifically a person who distributes cards in games or licenses and dispenses items. By the 18th century, dealer also referred to those who conduct business in circulating commodities; in modern usage, it spans automotive sales, card games, and illicit street dealing, with the sense of facilitating exchange and distribution. First known use in English appears in the 13th–14th centuries in legal and trade texts, gradually narrowing to roles involving distribution or administration of goods and actions around exchange. Over time, the word retained its core sense of “one who deals,” but acquires specialized meanings in markets, gaming, and illicit economy contexts.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "dealer" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "dealer" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "dealer" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "dealer"
-ler sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
