3 syllables: ted, dy, bear. Stress on ted.
TED-ee-ber
/ˈtɛdi bɛɹ/
Teddy-Bear is pronounced TED-ee-ber (/ˈtɛdi bɛɹ/). It has three syllables (ted-dy-bear), with the stress on "ted". As a noun, a noun referring to a软 stuffed toy modeled after a bear, often given as a comforting or nostalgic gift. The term combines the diminutive “Teddy” (from Theodore) with “bear,” typically used for children or in affectionate contexts, and can evoke warmth, childhood memories, or brand names and characters named Teddy-Bear.
nounA noun referring to a软 stuffed toy modeled after a bear, often given as a comforting or nostalgic gift. The term combines the diminutive “Teddy” (from Theodore) with “bear,” typically used for children or in affectionate contexts, and can evoke warmth, childhood memories, or brand names and characters named Teddy-Bear.
- You: You may blend Teddy and Bear too loosely, saying /ˈtɛdɪbeər/ with a weak boundary. Practice: separate the syllables softly at first: /ˈtɛd.i/ + /bɛər/ and then link them as you gain fluency. - You: You might misarticulate the Bear vowel as /ɜr/ or /ə/. Practice: focus on /ɛər/ or /eə/ diphthongs; keep lips rounded for /ɛər/. - You: You could neglect final rhoticity in some accents; with rhotic US, Bear ends in /r/ sound in careful speech; in non-rhotic accents, ensure the trailing r is not overemphasized. Practice: pronounce /bɛər/ with a clear /r/ only when required by rhythm. - You: You may insert extraneous consonants or reduce the second syllable too much, turning Teddy into /ˈtɛd/ and Bear into /beɚ/. Correction: keep the two chunks clearly identifiable; use a light secondary stress on Teddy and primary stress on Bear if needed in emphasis.
"She wrapped the old teddy-bear in a soft blanket and saved it for her niece."
"The little girl clutched her teddy-bear during the thunderstorm."
"In the toy store, a life-size teddy-bear sat in the window, inviting passersby."
Usual pronunciation: /ˈtɛd.iˌbɛər/ with two stressed syllables: TEH-dee-BAIR. The first stress falls on Teddy’s first syllable; the second on Bear. The dash signals a compound boundary; in many contexts Americans say Teddy Bear (two words) with a slight pause, while some British/brand styles retain the hyphen. Mouth positions: start with a light /t/ followed by /ɛ/ as in “bet,” move to /d/ with a quick tongue-tip tap, then a clear /i/ as in “meet,” and finish with /bɛər/ where lips close for /b/ and the vowel-consonant sequence yields a rhotic-like or non-rhotic end depending on accent. Audio reference: Pronounce. You’ll hear the stress pattern clearly in pronunciation videos.
Common errors: 1) Merging Teddy and Bear too tightly into one syllable, making it sound like /ˈtɛd.iːbær/ without clear boundary. 2) Dropping the second syllable stress, saying only TEH-dy-BAR or TE-dee-bǝr. 3) Mispronouncing /bɛər/ as /bɜr/ or /ber/ in non-rhotic accents. Corrections: articulate /ˈtɛd.i/ with a crisp /d/ release, then clearly articulate /bɛər/ with an open-mid front vowel plus a bilabial stop; maintain a light /t/ onset before /ɛ/ and avoid a nasalized vowel. Practice with minimal pairs and record yourself.
US: rhotic /r/ in Bear; clear /ɪ/ and /ɛ/ in Teddy; final /ɚ/ is not present in Bear; /ˈtɛd.iˌbɛər/. UK: non-rhotic after vowels; Bear sounds closer to /beə/ or /bɛə/ in many speakers; Teddy uses /ˈtɛd.i/ with shortened final vowel; AU: similar to UK but tends to have a more centralized /ə/ in unstressed syllables and can show variable rhotics; lenition is common. Pay attention to /ɜː/ vs /eə/ alternations; the Bear portion may be a diphthong rather than a monophthong depending on accent.
Key challenges: the second element Bear often has a tense vowel and a trailing /r/ or non-rhotic variant, which can blur if you don’t maintain distinct vowel quality. The boundary between Teddy and Bear can be swallowed; ensure a crisp /d/ and a deliberate /b/ followed by an accurate /ɛər/ or /eə/. The stress shift from TE-dy to BEAR also makes timing crucial. Achieve clarity by isolating the two chunks and gradually linking them.
There are no silent letters in Teddy-Bear; all letters contribute to sounds. Potential quirks include the assimilation between /d/ and /b/ across the boundary, where the /d/ can carry a light /ɪ/ before the /b/. Some speakers reduce the /i/ in Teddy slightly in rapid speech, turning /ˈtɛd.i/ toward /ˈtɛdˌi/; others maintain a full /i/. Focus on crisp /d/ release and clear /b/ onset to avoid blending.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Teddy-Bear"!
- US: Emphasize rhotic /r/ in Bear; keep Teddy’s /ɪ/ short and crisp; ensure the /d/ is a clean alveolar stop. IPA guide: /ˈtɛd.iˌbɛər/. - UK: Less pronounced rhoticity; Bear may be /beə/ or /bɛə/ depending on speaker; Teddy remains /ˈtɛd.i/. - AU: Similar to UK but with more centralized vowels; maintain /ˈtɛd.i/ and a clearer /bəː/ or /beə/ depending on region. General tips: keep tongue tip on alveolar ridge for /t/ and /d/, lips rounded for /ɛər/. Use IPA references when training.
The term Teddy-Bear is a compound formed from the proper noun Teddy, a diminutive form of Theodore or Edward, commonly used as a familiar nickname in English-speaking countries. The second element, Bear, is the common noun for the animal, used metaphorically to describe a soft, cuddly toy. The Teddy-Bear concept emerged in the early 20th century, linked to two unrelated but concurrent cultural developments: Theodore Roosevelt’s famous 1902 bear-hunting incident in Mississippi (popularized as the “Teddy bear” story) and the rise of mass-produced plush toys. The first widely known stuffed bear toy credited to Morris Michtom in 1902 closely followed Roosevelt’s policy nickname, and he produced a small bear with a candy-tinted label under the brand “Teddy’s Bear.” Parallelly, the German toy company Steiff released a similar plush bear model around the same period, reinforcing the term as a generic descriptor for soft, huggable bears. Over time, “Teddy-Bear” entered common usage as a compound noun, usually hyphenated in British English but often written as two words in American English, though many brands stylize it as one word or with a hyphen. Today it denotes an iconic, nostalgic plush toy rather than a real animal, retaining affectionate connotations in marketing and everyday speech.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Teddy-Bear" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Teddy-Bear" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Teddy-Bear" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "Teddy-Bear"
-are sounds
-air sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
