4 syllables: Em, broi, der, y. Stress on broi.
em-BROY-dur-ee
/ɛmˈbɹɔɪdɚi/
Embroidery is pronounced em-BROY-dur-ee (/ɛmˈbɹɔɪdɚi/). It has four syllables (Em-broi-der-y), with the stress on "broi". Embroidery is the art or craft of decorating fabric with needlework, using a variety of stitches and threads. It involves skilled needlework and design work, often combining textures and colors to create decorative patterns on clothing, linens, or samplers. The term also refers to the finished decorative stitching itself, not the fabric it’s applied to.
nounEmbroidery is the art or craft of decorating fabric with needlework, using a variety of stitches and threads. It involves skilled needlework and design work, often combining textures and colors to create decorative patterns on clothing, linens, or samplers. The term also refers to the finished decorative stitching itself, not the fabric it’s applied to.
- You might flatten the diphthong in /broʊ/ toward a pure /oː/; keep the glide for a natural diphthong so it sounds like /broʊ/ not /broː/. - The ending /ri/ can become a weak /ri/ or /riː/; aim for a crisp /dəri/ or /dɚi/ depending on accent. - The mid syllable can blur with the first if you rush; keep focused on the sequence em- | broʊ | dery to avoid a monolithic pronunciation.
How to Pronounce Embroidery
"She learned embroidery to add personal touches to handmade garments."
"The museum displayed an exquisite embroidery panel from the 17th century."
"He gifted her a scarf with intricate embroidery that featured floral motifs."
Break it as em-BROH-der-ee, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US ˌɛmˈbroʊ.dəri; UK ˌɛmˈbrɒ.dər.i; AU ˌɛmˈbrɒː.də.ɹi. In careful speech, emphasize the /ˈbroʊ/ vowel and the final /i/ as a clear syllable. You can listen to native examples on Pronounce or Forvo to hear the /ˈbroʊ/ diphthong and the final /i/ sound. Practice by saying “em” + “brow” + “dery,” then softly release the final syllable.
Common errors: (1) swallowing or reducing the second syllable so it sounds like em-BRO-dery without the /dʒ/ or /ʒ/ effect; (2) misplacing stress on the first syllable as EM-broider-y; (3) mispronouncing the /ɹ/ as a vowel in non-rhotic accents. Correction: place primary stress on the second syllable, ensure a clear /ˈbroʊ/ with a real diphthong, and finish with a crisp /dəri/ or /də.ry/ depending on accent. Listen to native examples and mimic the mouth shape, especially the rounded lip position for /oʊ/.
US pronunciation focuses on /ˈbroʊ/ with a rhotic /r/ and a clear /ɪ/ in the final syllable; UK tends to /ˈbrəʊ.dəri/ with less conspicuous rhoticity and a shorter /ɒ/ or /ə/ in the first vowel; Australian usually echoes UK patterns but with a slightly wider vowel quality and a more mouth-open /ɐ/ in the middle. Overall, the key difference is vowel quality and rhoticity, while the consonants stay relatively consistent.
The difficulty lies in the combination of a diphthong in the second syllable (/ˈbroʊ/) and the final unstressed -ery suffix, which can blend quickly in rapid speech. Native rhythm places emphasis on the second syllable, but the trailing /ri/ can reduce to a schwa in some accents. Also, the cluster /br/ after the initial /ɛm/ can cause tongue blade adjustments. Practice by isolating the /ˈbroʊ/ and then adding a crisp /dəri/.
Embroidery features a non-silent sequence rather than silent letters; however, the 'b' in 'emb' often remains lightly pronounced and the 'd' in 'dery' is clearly heard in careful speech. Some speakers may blend the sequence /bɹoʊ/ quickly, reducing a distinct /d/ bridge. For clarity, articulate the /b/ directly after the /m/ or /mb/ cluster, then proceed to /roʊ/ and final /deri/.
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- US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; ensure the /ˈbroʊ/ diphthong has a distinct glide. - UK: less rhotic influence; the middle vowel tends to be more open and the /dəri/ may be reduced to /dəri/ with a schwa. - AU: similar to UK with slightly more open vowels and a touch of /ɪ/ in the final syllable. Use IPA references to check exact vowels. - Emphasize the stressed middle syllable; avoid stressing the ending. - Practice with mini-couplets: em-BRO-dery vs em-BRO-der-ee to hear ending clarity.
Embroidery comes from Old French embrouder, from em- (a variant of en-, ‘in, on') + brouder, braider, to embroider, from Latin graphiāre ‘to write, draw with a needle’ (via Germanic influence). The root is linked to early medieval craft terms referring to stitching and ornamentation on textiles. The modern English form appears in Middle English as embroderie, borrowed from Anglo-Norman and Old French, with attested usage by the 14th century. Over time, embroidery broadened to include both the technique and its products, shifting from strictly decorative needlework in medieval ecclesiastical and aristocratic contexts to a widespread domestic craft and design practice in the textile arts. The sense expanded across cultures, giving rise to various stitches, styles (e.g., satin stitch, cross-stitch), and school of design. First known use in English literature appears in seedier guild records of medieval workshops, with literary references in 15th–16th century manuscripts noting embroidery as a skilled craft associated with luxury fabrics and ceremonial garments. The term has endured into modern usage, encompassing both artisanal and contemporary craft contexts, including machine embroidery that emerged with the Industrial Revolution and contemporary digital embroidery technologies.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Embroidery" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Embroidery"
-ary sounds
-ery sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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