One syllable: Psalm.
sahlm
/sɑlm/
Psalm is pronounced sahlm (/sɑlm/). It has one syllable (Psalm), with the stress on "Psalm". Psalm is a noun referring to a sacred song or hymn, traditionally part of religious liturgy, or a biblical collection of such songs. It also can denote a composition that expresses praise, devotion, or worship. The word is treated as a fixed lexical item in English, often appearing with verbs like recite, sing, or compose.
nounPsalm is a noun referring to a sacred song or hymn, traditionally part of religious liturgy, or a biblical collection of such songs. It also can denote a composition that expresses praise, devotion, or worship. The word is treated as a fixed lexical item in English, often appearing with verbs like recite, sing, or compose.
How to Pronounce Psalm
"She read a psalm aloud at the service."
"The choir sang a psalm during the morning prayers."
"He wrote a modern psalm celebrating resilience."
Pronounce it as /ˈsɑːm/ (US) or /ˈsɑːm/ (UK/AU). Start with a voiceless /s/ followed by a long open back unrounded vowel like /ɑː/, then a voiced nasal /m/. The letters ‘l’ are silent, so there is no /l/ sound. The stress is on the first syllable: PSALM. Visualize: s-ahm with a strong initial sibilant and a quiet, closed mouth at the end. An audio reference would be to listen to classic recitations or a standard dictionary reading to confirm the silent 'l' in context.
Common mistakes include pronouncing the final /l/ as in ‘palm’ or inserting a vowel before the /m/ (e.g., ‘sah-lum’). Another frequent error is misplacing the stressed syllable or using a short /a/ instead of the broad /ɑː/; some learners also insert a schwa before the final /m/. Correction: keep the vowel as a broad /ɑː/ and drop the /l/, ending with a clean /m/. Practice with minimal pairs like /s/ + /ɑːm/ versus /s/ + /p/ + /l/ + /m/ to solidify the silent-l pattern.
In US English, /ˈsɑːm/ with broad /ɑː/ is common; rhoticity is present but the ending /m/ is clear. In many UK pronunciations, the /ɑː/ is long and the /r/ is not pronounced, still silent /l/. Australian English mirrors UK for this word: /ˈsɑːm/, with the r-less vowel and similar lip rounding. The main variation is vowel quality and vowel length; some regional UK varieties may have a slightly shorter /aː/ or a lighter final nasal. The key is keeping /s/ onset, long /ɑː/ vowel, and silent /l/.
The difficulty lies in the unusual letter combination: a pronounced sibilant at the start, a long open back vowel, and a silent 'l' in the middle preceding the final /m/. The ligature PS often makes learners expect /ps/ or /p/ with a visible /l/, but the actual production is /s/ plus a long /ɑː/ and a final /m/. Learners must avoid inserting a vowel or articulating the /l/; practice with slow, exaggerated mouth positions to internalize the silent-l pattern.
The start is /s/; the letters PS are a digraph where the /p/ is not pronounced. In careful or phonetic drills you’ll notice the initial sound is a sharp /s/ as in ‘sip,’ followed by a long /ɑː/ and ending with /m/. The key phonetic point is that the /p/ is silent and the /s/ is the only aspirated segment at the onset. Emphasize the hiss of /s/ and the silent onset before the long vowel.
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The noun psalm comes from Middle English psalme, from Old French psalme, from Latin psalmus, from Greek psalmos, meaning ‘a song sung to a harp.’ The root is the Greek psalmos, related to the verb psallein ‘to pluck (a string) or play a musical instrument.’ In Hebrew, tehillim denotes the Psalms as sacred songs; the Greek and Latin translations contributed to English usage in the medieval period. The form psalme appeared in English in the 13th century, and by the 14th century the spelling psalm simplified in pronunciation while the final 'l' remained orthographic. The pronunciation shifted to a silent 'l' while the 'a' remained long, leading to the current form /ˈsɑːm/ in many dialects, particularly British English influenced forms, with US variants often reflecting vowel shifts in the broad 'a' sound. The term has broadened beyond religious contexts to metaphorically describe any hymn-like or praise-oriented composition. First known use in English can be traced to late Old English with scriptural translations from Latin Vulgate and Greek Septuagint, solidifying the word as a standard term in religious literature and music.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Psalm" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Psalm" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Psalm"
-alm sounds
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