div-OW-ur
/dɪˈvaʊɚ/
Devour is pronounced div-OW-ur (/dɪˈvaʊɚ/). Devour is a verb meaning to eat eagerly or hungrily, often with intense enthusiasm. In common usage, it can also mean to consume something in a voracious or complete way, or to read or absorb something rapidly. The term conveys immediacy and gusto, frequently in contexts like meals, media, or experiences that are eagerly consumed.
Say it backnounDevour is a verb meaning to eat eagerly or hungrily, often with intense enthusiasm. In common usage, it can also mean to consume something in a voracious or complete way, or to read or absorb something rapidly. The term conveys immediacy and gusto, frequently in contexts like meals, media, or experiences that are eagerly consumed.
How to Pronounce Devour
"She devoured the spicy noodles in minutes."
"The audience devoured every word of the speaker."
"He devoured the latest thriller in one weekend."
Pronounce as dɪ-VAU-ər in US; stressed second syllable. The /ɪ/ is short as in 'id,' then the diphthong /aʊ/ like 'how,' followed by a schwa or light /ə/ in non-rhotic contexts. IPA: US /dɪˈvaʊər/; UK/AU /dɪˈvaʊə/. Keep the /v/ crisp and the /ɪ/ short, then glide into /aʊ/ with a rounded lip position, finishing with a weak /ər/ or /ə/. Audio reference: listen to native speakers on Pronounce or Forvo.
Common errors: treating /ɪ/ as a long vowel or placing primary stress on the first syllable (de-VOOR). Correction: keep /ɪ/ short and unaccented, place stress on the second syllable: /dɪˈvaʊər/. Another mistake is pronouncing /vaʊ/ as /vɔː/ or delaying the /r/ in non-rhotic accents; ensure the diphthong is the strong nucleus and that the /r/ is controlled in rhotic accents (US: rhotic; UK/AU: non-rhotic or weak). Finally, avoid a tense jaw that makes /aʊ/ sound like /ɔɪ/; relax jaw, round lips for /aʊ/.
In US English, /dɪˈvaʊər/ with a pronounced rhotic /r/ in all contexts; the final /ər/ is often a syllabic schwa with r-coloring. UK/AU typically show non-rhotic tendencies; /dɪˈvaʊə/ where the final /r/ is not pronounced or is very weak. The vowel /aʊ/ remains stable in all accents. In rapid speech, US may retain the /ɚ/; UK tends to a shorter, clipped final vowel. Listen for the subtle length of the second syllable and whether the final r is pronounced or not; IPA guides help distinguish rhotic vs non-rhotic realizations.
Because of the diphthong /aʊ/ in the stressed second syllable and the consonant cluster around it, specifically the /v/ followed by the /aʊ/ glide. The two-syllable stress pattern can be unstable for learners, who may place stress on the first syllable or merge /dɪ/ with the following sound. Practicing the /dɪ/ onset, /ˈvaʊ/ nucleus, and final /ər/ or /ə/ with controlled timing helps. Clear articulation of /v/ and the starting point of /aʊ/ makes the word easier to produce.
In American English, the /r/ is typically pronounced in connected speech, though some speakers reduce it or blend into a rhotic fall. In many British varieties, the final /r/ is often not pronounced in non-rhotic speech, leading to /dɪˈvaʊə/ rather than /dɪˈvaʊər/. Australian variants sit between, often weakening the /r/ but not fully dropping it in careful speech. For clarity in teaching, encourage a light, precise /ɹ/ in American contexts and a lax, reduced final vowel in UK/AU contexts.
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Devour comes from the Old French desforver, desforfier meaning to eat, savor, or devour. It evolved from Latin vorare, meaning to gulp or swallow, akin to voracious. The transition into Middle English retained sense of eating with greed, though in modern English it broadened metaphorically to mean consuming information, media, or experiences voraciously. First known use in English appears in the 14th century, with literary instances emphasizing a greedy intake of food. Over time, the sense expanded to describe rapid, enthusiastic consumption beyond physical eating, including reading, watching, or absorbing content. The modern verb form is established by Early Modern English, aligning with related words like voracious and voracity in its semantic field of insatiable appetite. The blend of medieval culinary imagery with metaphorical appetite remains central to its meaning today, often carrying a sense of intensity or urgency. The word’s usage has become ubiquitous across domains, from gastronomic discourse to media criticism and everyday slang.” ,
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Words that rhyme with "Devour"
-wer sounds
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