2 syllables: Ur, ban. Stress on Ur.
UR-buhn
/ˈɝbən/
Urban is pronounced UR-buhn (/ˈɝbən/). It has two syllables (Ur-ban), with the stress on "Ur". Urban is an adjective describing things related to cities or city life. It denotes characteristics, environments, or cultures associated with densely populated areas, as in urban planning or urban music. In everyday use, it can also convey modern, cosmopolitan connotations. The term often contrasts with rural or suburban contexts.
adjectiveUrban is an adjective describing things related to cities or city life. It denotes characteristics, environments, or cultures associated with densely populated areas, as in urban planning or urban music. In everyday use, it can also convey modern, cosmopolitan connotations. The term often contrasts with rural or suburban contexts.
How to Pronounce Urban
"The urban skyline shimmered with glass towers."
"She preferred urban coffee shops over quiet residential cafés."
"Urban development projects aim to improve housing and transportation."
Pronounce it as /ˈɜːrbən/ (US) or /ˈɜːbən/ (UK). The first syllable carries primary stress. Start with a mid-central vowel in stressed position, then quickly reduce the second syllable to a schwa. Mouth: lips relaxed, tongue mid, blade of the tongue close to the alveolar ridge for the /ɜː/ vowel; the /r/ in American English is rhotic. Audio reference: listen to careful enunciation on pronunciation platforms or dictionary audio. IPA: US /ˈɝː.bən/ or /ˈɜːr.bən/, UK /ˈɜː.bən/.
Mistakes include turning the first vowel into a short /ʌ/ or /ɪ/ sound and over-articulating the second syllable as a full vowel like /əˈɜːn/ instead of a quick /ən/. Some speakers also drop the 'r' in American contexts or make the final /n/ too nasal. Focus on keeping the first syllable as /ɜː/ or /ɝ/ with a clear, light /r/ (US), then a quick, relaxed /ən/ for the second syllable.
US tends to be rhotic with /ɜɚ/ quality in the first syllable and a clear /ɚ/ before the final /n/ (approx /ˈɝːbən/). UK typically uses /ˈɜː.bən/ with non-rhoticity, a less pronounced rhotic /r/ and a longer /ɜː/ quality. Australian English is similar to UK but often with a slightly greener vowel quality and a lighter /r/ influence; many speakers produce a more centralized or centralized /ə/ in the second syllable. IPA references: US /ˈɝːbən/, UK /ˈɜː.bən/, AU /ˈɜː.bən/.
Key difficulty is the rhythm and vowel reduction: the first syllable needs a tense, mid back-central vowel without a drawn-out /r/, while the second syllable is a quick, unstressed /ən/. The rhotic US /ɹ/ can complicate articulation for non-rhotic speakers. Also, many learners tense the second syllable or linger on /ər/; practice with minimal pairs focusing on the duration and quality of the first vowel.
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Urban comes from the Latin urbanus, meaning “of a city,” which itself derives from urbs, meaning “city.” The word entered English via Old French urban au sens of “of or belonging to a city.” In Latin, urbanus carried the sense of civic, municipal life and gradually broadened in English to describe anything associated with cities, especially in the contexts of planning, culture, and modern life. By Middle English, urban was used to describe city-related things, but it wasn’t until the 19th and 20th centuries, with rapid urbanization and the rise of urban studies, that the term acquired its modern nuance—emphasizing metropolitan environments, urban planning, and urban culture. First known uses in English date to the late medieval/early modern periods, with the sense expanding in the industrial era as cities transformed society.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Urban" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Urban" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Urban"
-ban sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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