5 syllables: re, im, burs, a, ble. Stress on burs.
reem-BURR-suh-buhl
/riːmˈbɜːrsəbəl/
reimbursable is pronounced reem-BURR-suh-buhl (/riːmˈbɜːrsəbəl/). It has five syllables (re-im-burs-a-ble), with the stress on "burs". reimbursable is an adjective describing expenses that qualify for reimbursement. It denotes costs that a claimant can be refunded, typically under an agreement or policy. The term is common in finance and business contexts where employees or contractors submit expenses for repayment.
reimbursable is an adjective describing expenses that qualify for reimbursement. It denotes costs that a claimant can be refunded, typically under an agreement or policy. The term is common in finance and business contexts where employees or contractors submit expenses for repayment.
"The company approved a reimbursable travel expense report."
"Only reimbursable costs will be covered by the client’s reimbursement policy."
"During the audit, auditors verified which items were reimbursable under the contract."
Break it into four syllables: /rɪmˈbɜːr.sə.bəl/. The primary stress is on the second syllable, BUR. Tip: keep the /ɜː/ vowel steady, lips relaxed, and finish with a light /bəl/ (b + schwa + l). You can listen to examples on reputable dictionaries and practice with a slow pace before normal speed.
Two frequent errors are misplacing the stress and slurring the middle syllables. People often say /ˌriːmˈbɜːr.sə.bəl/ or /rɪmˈbɜːrˌsəbəl/. Correct it by using primary stress on BUR: /rɪmˈbɜːr.sə.bəl/. Keep /ɜːr/ as a single stressed vowel rather than splitting it with a separate /r/ vowel segment, and pronounce the final /bəl/ clearly.
In US, the rhotic /r/ is pronounced; /ɜː/ tends toward a mid-central vowel quality, with the /bɜːr/ cluster sounding rounded. UK RP typically uses a non-rhotic /r/ (linking and r-lessness), giving a slightly reduced /r/ quality or silent r in some accents, while AU tends to be rhotic but with Aussie vowel coloring. Overall, the core BUR syllable maintains /ɜː/. Adapt stress and rhythm accordingly.
The challenge lies in the consecutive consonant cluster /mˈbɜːr/ with a mid-central vowel /ɜː/ and the final /bəl/ reducing to a light schwa plus /l/. Native speakers often reduce the middle vowel or misplace the primary stress, saying /rɪmˈbɜːsəbəl/ or /rɪmˈbɜːrbəl/. Practice stabilizing the /ɜːr/ vowel and keeping the BUR cluster distinct from the subsequent /sə/.
The word’s core is the /ɜːr/ nucleus in BUR, followed by a light /s/ onset for the third syllable. The sequence /ˈbɜːr.sə/ requires crisp air management to avoid a glide into /ə/ or dropping the /r/ in non-rhotic accents. In careful speech, you’ll hear a clear /r/ in rhotic accents; in non-rhotic accents, the /r/ is not pronounced unless followed by a vowel.
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reimbursable derives from the prefix re- (again, back) combined with the root of reimburse, which itself comes from the French réimberser (to repay) via the Old French rembourser. The modern verb reimburse entered English in the 17th–18th centuries, formed from re- (back) + imburse (to pay). The noun/adj form reimbursable emerged in business contexts in the late 19th to 20th centuries, meaning “capable of being reimbursed.” The sense evolved to reflect policy-based repayment of expenses, aligning with accounting terminology. Over time, reimbursable stressed formal eligibility under rules, policies, or contracts, and remains common in corporate travel, procurement, and insurance settings. First known uses appear in financial ledgers and corporate policies, with documentation gradually standardizing the form reimbursable to describe recoverable costs within expense reporting frameworks.
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Words that rhyme with "reimbursable"
-ble sounds
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