FLOW-ur
/ˈflaʊɚ/
Flour is pronounced FLOW-ur (/ˈflaʊɚ/). Flour is a finely ground powder obtained from grains (most commonly wheat) used in baking and cooking. It has a broad culinary role, from bread and pastries to thickening sauces. The word is a noun referring to the powder itself, distinct from the liquid water-diluted form and from the verb “to flower.”.
nounFlour is a finely ground powder obtained from grains (most commonly wheat) used in baking and cooking. It has a broad culinary role, from bread and pastries to thickening sauces. The word is a noun referring to the powder itself, distinct from the liquid water-diluted form and from the verb “to flower.”
How to Pronounce Flour
"She sifted the flour to remove clumps before mixing it with sugar."
"Gluten-free flour blends can substitute wheat flour in many recipes."
"The recipe calls for two cups of all-purpose flour."
Phonetically, flour is /flaʊər/ in US English and /ˈflɔːə/ or /ˈflaʊə/ in many UK pronunciations, depending on speaker and region. The syllable break is typically two small units: /flaʊ/ plus /ər/ (or /ə/ in non-rhotic accents). The initial sounds are a pulse of lip-closure for /f/, a rounded diphthong /aʊ/, and a rhotacized or schwa-ending /ər/ in rhotic accents. Practice by shaping your lips for /f/ and gliding through /aʊ/ as in “how,” then finish with a relaxed /ər/ or /ə/. Audio reference: [Pronounce or reputable dictionary audio].
Common errors include turning /aʊ/ into a simple /a/ or /ɔ/ vowel (saying ‘flore’), dropping the final /r/ in rhotic accents, or misplacing the schwa in non-rhotic speakers (saying /flaʊə/ with a strong /ɜː/). To correct: keep the smile for /f/, glide through /aʊ/ smoothly without breaking or flattening, and end with a light, unstressed /ər/ as in ‘teacher’ for US. For non-rhotic speakers, ensure the /r/ is not forcibly pronounced in coda; instead, a soft /ə/ or /əː/ suffices in UK/AU variants.
In US English, flour is often /flaʊɚ/ with a pronounced rhotic /ɹ/ in final syllable. In many UK accents, it becomes /ˈflaʊə/ or /ˈflɔːə/ with a reduced or silent final /r/. Australian English tends to be non-rhotic as well, with /ˈflaʊə/ or /ˈflɔːə/, depending on the speaker. The key difference is rhoticity and vowel quality of the second syllable; US keeps /ɹ/ and a full vowel, UK/AU may drop the /ɹ/ and slightly shift the vowel.”,
The challenge lies in the complex vowel sequence /aʊ/ followed by a final rhotic or schwa. For non-rhotic speakers, the final /ɹ/ is often omitted, causing a subtle vowel-length issue; for rhotic speakers, the /ɹ/ carries, adding a color that can blur the preceding diphthong. Additionally, “flower” vs. “flour” can be confusing for learners due to near-homophony in many dialects; careful attention to the vowel glide and the presence or absence of /ɹ/ clarifies meaning. IPA reminders help anchor the sound.”,
Flour ends with a rhotacized or schwa-like final sound depending on the accent. The /ɹ/ in rhotic dialects creates a slight /ər/ in American speech, while in non-rhotic dialects the ending is a reduced /ə/ or /əː/. The subtle vowel glide of /aʊ/ is central; many learners lengthen or misplace it, saying /flɔʊ/ or /flaː ə/. Focus on the diphthong /aʊ/ and the optional post-vocalic r that marks American vs. British/Australian variants.
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The term flour comes from the Old French word farine, from Latin farina, meaning meal or flour. Farina itself derives from far, meaning barley or grain, and has cognates in many Romance languages that denote ground grain used for baking. In English, flour was originally used to describe the finest meal or powder produced by grinding grains. By the late Middle Ages, flour had specialized senses: sifting, milling, and eventual standardization into wheat-based products for bread and pastry. The first known written usages in English date from around the 13th century, with earlier Latin and French sources in culinary and agricultural texts. As milling technologies advanced, the term broadened to include refined and whole-grain flours. The modern sense typically implies wheat flour in culinary contexts, distinguishing it from other grain flours (rye, corn, oat) used in regional baking traditions. In recent centuries, “flour” has become a ubiquitous ingredient in Western cuisine, shaping baking techniques, recipe terminology, and even cultural idioms.”,
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Flour" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Flour" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Flour"
-wer sounds
-our sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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