2 syllables: en, tre. Stress on en.
AHN-tray
/ˈɑntɹeɪ/
entre is pronounced AHN-tray (/ˈɑntɹeɪ/). It has two syllables (en-tre), with the stress on "en". Entre is a French preposition meaning “between” or “among,” used in phrases like entre amis and entre les lignes. In English contexts it often appears in borrowed expressions or proper names. The term typically functions as a linking word rather than a standalone English noun or verb, and its pronunciation remains distinct from English phonology, requiring French vowel accuracy and nasal considerations when applicable.
Entre is a French preposition meaning “between” or “among,” used in phrases like entre amis and entre les lignes. In English contexts it often appears in borrowed expressions or proper names. The term typically functions as a linking word rather than a standalone English noun or verb, and its pronunciation remains distinct from English phonology, requiring French vowel accuracy and nasal considerations when applicable.
"- Elle s’est retrouvée entre deux choix difficiles."
"- Le couloir se situe entre la cour et la bibliothèque."
"- On peut lire l’inscription entre les pierres."
Pronounce as en-tʁə with a nasal first vowel: /ɑ̃tʁə/ in French loan usage. The initial vowel is a nasal open front unrounded vowel, produced by lowering the soft palate so air passes through the nose, not the mouth. The following 't' is a light, unreleased stop, and 'r' is a uvular fricative or approximant depending on speaker (often a slight throat noise). End with a muted schwa-like /ə/. The stress is typically on the first syllable: EN-treh (conceptually). Real English approximation for non-native: ahn-TREH-ruh with the nasal vowel and soft French 'r'.
Common errors: 1) Neglecting nasalization: pronounce /e/ or /ɒ/ without nasalization. 2) Anglicizing the final /ə/ as a hard schwa; keep it light and shorter. 3) Rendering the final /ʁ/ as an English /ɹ/; use a French uvular or tapped sound without rhoticization. Correction: practice /ɑ̃/ by nasalizing with open jaw, then lightly pronounce /tʁ/ with a strong but short /t/ and a soft/clear uvular /ʁ/ before the final /ə/.
In US English contexts, you often hear a pseudo-French accent: /ˌɑ̃ˈtɹeɪ/ or /ˈɑ̃tɹ(ə)/; in French-adjacent pronunciations, the nasal vowel is prominent, and the /ʁ/? varies. In UK contexts, you may hear /ɒ̃ˈtɹə/ with similar nasalization but less rhotic emphasis; the /t/ remains crisp. Australian speakers might mimic a softer, non-nasal /æ/ or /ɒ̃/ with less distinction in nasalization and a more lenient /r/. The key differentiator is nasal vowel integrity and the uvular /ʁ/ quality; US realizations sometimes approximate with a soft alveolar /ɹ/ if unfamiliar.
Because it combines a nasalized vowel and an aspirated or unaspirated French /t/, followed by a uvular fricative/approximant /ʁ/ that is uncommon for English speakers. The nasal vowel /ɑ̃/ requires air through the nose while keeping the mouth open for the following consonant cluster. The final schwa-like /ə/ is short and subtle, making the overall rhythm delicate. Mastery requires training the nasal cavity, controlling mouth shape for the /tʁ/ sequence, and positioning the tongue toward the back of the mouth for /ʁ/.
A key nuance is the nasal vowel on the first syllable combined with a voiceless or lightly voiced /t/ release before the /ʁ/; this yields a delicate, compact French cadence. You must avoid inserting extra vowel sound after /t/ and keep the final /ə/ very short, almost elided in rapid speech. Practically, think of pronouncing /ɑ̃/ with a gentle lift into the /t/ and immediately glide into the /ʁ/ without a plateau.
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US: keep nasal vowel clear while keeping the /ɹ/ sound soft or replaced by French uvular to avoid rhoticity drift. UK: lean into the nasal /ɑ̃/ with a slightly tougher /t/ and a muted /ʁ/. AU: tend to reduce nasalization; keep the vowel open but compact; adopt a relaxed but resonant /ʁ/ if possible. IPA references: US /ˌɑ̃ˈtʁə/ or /ˈɑ̃tʁə/, UK /ˌɑ̃ˈtrə/ ; AU /ˈɑː̃tɹə/. Accent differences should emphasize whether posterior nasalization is preserved and whether the /ʁ/ is uvular or approximant.
Entre derives from the Old French entre, from Latin inter- meaning "between" or "among". The form ante- in Latin also conveyed proximity or order, contributing to related words in Romance languages. In French, entre is a preposition that has retained a stable meaning since medieval times, used to denote spatial, temporal, and relational distance or positioning. The word appears in many fixed phrases and set expressions (par exemple, entre temps, entre nous). The sense of a boundary or interval—literally the space separating two objects or concepts—drives its semantic field in governance, geography, and social relationships. The continuous thread across etymology is the underlying idea of an interstice or shared space, often without a direct agent performing an action, which distinguishes it from many verbs. First known use can be traced to medieval Latin and evolving Romance languages, with Old French attestation by the 12th century, crystallizing in modern French usage. In English borrowings, entre tends to maintain its French pronunciation and often appears in semi-technical or literary contexts, such as culinary, artistic, and diplomatic discourse, reflecting a prestige loanword pattern. Overall, entre retains a compact, spatially-focused meaning while expanding into abstruse relational uses in modern multilingual text.
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Words that rhyme with "entre"
-der sounds
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