2 syllables: Ur, bane. Stress on bane.
ur-BAYN
/ɚˈbeɪn/
Urbane is pronounced ur-BAYN (/ɚˈbeɪn/). It has two syllables (Ur-bane), with the stress on "bane". Urbane is an adjective describing a person, manner, or environment that is polished, sophisticated, and city-sophisticated. It conveys seamless social ease and refined taste, often implying worldly experience. The word denotes cultured civility rather than rustic simplicity, typically used in formal or descriptive contexts.
adjectiveUrbane is an adjective describing a person, manner, or environment that is polished, sophisticated, and city-sophisticated. It conveys seamless social ease and refined taste, often implying worldly experience. The word denotes cultured civility rather than rustic simplicity, typically used in formal or descriptive contexts.
- You may confuse the /ɜː/ vowel in the first syllable with a more central or lax vowel; practice by comparing 'urn' vs 'urban' and ensuring the initial sound is slightly rounded with a hint of r-color. - The second syllable /beɪn/ often becomes /ben/ or /bin/ in fast speech; ensure your mouth opens for /eɪ/ and finish with a crisp nasality. - Stress drift: think of the word as two parts UR- and -BANE, but keep the second syllable clearly stressed; practise with slow tapping.
"Her urbane demeanor made her a natural host at international dinners."
"The gala featured urbane attire and witty, well-informed conversations."
"Despite the crowd's intensity, his urbane calm kept proceedings smooth."
Urbane is pronounced with two syllables: US /ˌɜːrˈbeɪn/, UK /ˌɜːˈbeɪn/, AU /ˌɜːˈbeɪn/. The primary stress falls on the second syllable, with a sigh- like initial vowel in many accents. The second syllable features the long A sound (as in 'bait'), so your mouth transitions from a mid-central vowel to a clear /eɪ/ vowel. Think 'ur' like 'fur' without the f, then 'bane' as in 'bane'.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (stressing the first syllable as UR-bane) and truncating the second syllable to a short /e/ or /ɪ/ sound. To correct: emphasize the /beɪn/ portion with a clear /eɪ/ diphthong, and keep the initial /ˈɜːr/ neutral—think 'er' as in 'her' but with less rounding. Practice with minimal pairs like 'turn' vs 'torn' to feel the contrast, then apply to urbane.
In US, the /ɜːr/ rhymes with 'fur' and the /eɪ/ is a prominent diphthong. In UK, /ˈɜːb eɪn/ keeps a longer rhotaceless or rhoticity depending on speaker, with a slightly tighter jaw for /ɜː/. Australian tends to be a clearer /ɜː/ followed by a more open /eɪ/ with broader vowel gestures. All share the second syllable /beɪn/; the main variation is the onset vowel color and rhoticity in US vs non-rhotic UK variants.
The difficulty lies in the initial stressed second syllable and the precise SHPattern of /ˌɜːrˈbeɪn/. Non-native speakers often mispronounce /˜ɜːr/ or shorten the /beɪn/ to a flat /ben/ or /bin/. Also, listeners expect a distinct vowel in the first syllable and a clean, long /eɪ/ in the second; merging the two into one quick syllable obscures the word’s rhythm.
Yes—the word’s second syllable carries a long, bright /eɪ/ diphthong and the initial /ˌɜːr/ can be challenging for non-rhotic speakers. The primary cue is the contrast between the lax first syllable (often reduced) and the pronounced second syllable /beɪn/. Keeping the /r/ sound pronounced in rhotic accents without giving it excessive color helps maintain naturalness.
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- US: rhotic /r/ should be pronounced after the initial vowel, with a fuller /ɜːr/; keep /ɜː/ mid-back tongue height with slight lip rounding. - UK: non-rhotic or light rhoticity; the /r/ at the end of the syllable may be less pronounced; aim for a long /ɜː/ and a crisp /beɪn/. - AU: broader, more open /ɜː/ and a forward, bright /eɪ/; keep vowel quality slightly more fronted than in US; maintain clear syllable separation. IPA references: US /ˌɜːrˈbeɪn/, UK /ˌɜːˈbeɪn/, AU /ˌɜːˈbeɪn/.
Urbane originated in Middle French as urbain, meaning belonging to the city, from Old French ville or urbanus in Latin, meaning
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Urbane" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Urbane" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Urbane"
-me) sounds
-ane sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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