PEYE-ur
/ˈpaɪɚ/
Pyre is pronounced PEYE-ur (/ˈpaɪɚ/). Pyre is a noun meaning a structure, typically of wood, on which a corpse is burned as part of a funeral rite. In modern usage it also can refer to the fire itself or metaphorically to something that consumes or destroys. The term carries solemn, ritual connotations and is often associated with death customs and historical or literary contexts.
nounPyre is a noun meaning a structure, typically of wood, on which a corpse is burned as part of a funeral rite. In modern usage it also can refer to the fire itself or metaphorically to something that consumes or destroys. The term carries solemn, ritual connotations and is often associated with death customs and historical or literary contexts.
How to Pronounce Pyre
"The villagers gathered the pyre and watched the flames rise toward the night sky."
"In the ancient rites, the body was laid upon the pyre as chants filled the air."
"The author uses the image of a blazing pyre to symbolize the end of an era."
Say PY-er. The primary stress is on the first syllable: /ˈpaɪər/. The vowel in the first syllable is the diphthong in ' pie,' followed by a reduced second syllable that sounds like 'er' in 'water' in many dialects. For most speakers you’ll make a long 'i' sound transitioning into an upright schwa-like ending: /ˈpaɪ-ər/. Listen to a native speaker or pronunciation site to hear the subtle linking in connected speech.
Common mistakes include: 1) Turning the /aɪ/ into a short /ɪ/ as in 'bit' (you should maintain a clear /aɪ/ diphthong). 2) Carrying the /r/ as a strong American rhotic after /aɪ/ when it should be a light, almost non-rhotic result in some accents; the ending should be a quick /ər/ rather than a full 'eer' again. 3) Over-pronouncing the second syllable. Aim for a quick, reduced /ər/. Practice by isolating /aɪ/ and gliding into a light /ə/ before ending. Keep the mouth relaxed so the end is not a full vowel sound.
In US English, the sequence is /ˈpaɪər/, with a pronounced schwa-ish /ər/ in connected speech; the /r/ is rhotic. In many UK varieties, the /r/ is non-rhotic, so you hear /ˈpaɪə/ with a lighter or even silent ending in careful speech, though in some Southern or rhotic-admiring dialects it remains postvocalic. Australian English tends toward /ˈpaɪə/ or /ˈpaɪəɹ/ depending on speaker, with a softer /ɹ/ and less vowel quality. The core is the diphthong /aɪ/ followed by a short, reduced vowel. IPA confirms: US /ˈpaɪər/, UK /ˈpaɪə/ or /ˈpaɪəɹ/ in rhotic speech, AU /ˈpaɪə/.
Because of the subtle vowel sequence /aɪ/ followed by a reduced vowel in a short, quick second syllable, and irregular rhoticity versus non-rhotic speech. Learners often overemphasize or underemphasize the second syllable, distorting the balance between the diphthong and the ending. The name also sits on the line between common words like 'fire' and the more formal 'pyre,' so the sound is less frequent in everyday speech and can be unfamiliar to some learners.
No; there are no silent letters in the standard pronunciation. The word is two sounds: the /aɪ/ diphthong in the first syllable and the following /ər/ (or /ə/ in non-rhotic varieties) in the second. The challenge comes from blending accurately and producing the light final /ər/ rather than an explicit 'eer' or a clipped /r/ that feels off in some dialects.
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Pyre comes from Old French pyre, derived from Latin pyra, which traces further to Greek pyr, meaning 'fire' or 'a fire for burning.' The root conveys heat and burning across languages, with a specific cultural meaning attached to cremation ceremonies. In Middle English, pyre appeared as pyere or pyre again, often in religious or ceremonial texts, referring to a pile prepared for cremation. Over time, the word retained its concrete sense of a burning structure while widening metaphorically to describe anything that consumes or destroys with intensity. The term frequently appears in classical literature, religious rites, and later poetic usage as a symbol of transformation, purification, or finality. While not among the most common modern vocabulary, pyre remains a precise term especially in discussions of funerary customs, archaeology, and literature. First known uses in English align with translations of Latin or French ceremonial terms, with earlier roots seen in Greek cytometaphorics that linked fire to ritual mortality. The word’s endurance rests on its vivid physical imagery and ceremonial associations, which continue to color its connotations today.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Pyre" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Pyre" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Pyre"
-iar sounds
-ire sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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