Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

ballpoint

/bˈɔlpɔɪnt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.53 in modern English

Syllables: ball-point
IPA: /bˈɔlpɔɪnt/

13

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Ellipsis of ballpoint pen; the nib thereof, containing the ball.

noun

A kind of needle with a rounded tip.

Example Sentences

"Have you seen my ballpoint? I need to sign this form, and a felt-tip won't make carbons."

Etymology

From ball + point.

Inflected Forms

ballpoints (plural)

Synonyms

ball pen ballpen biro ballpoint pen

Questions

How do you pronounce ballpoint?: The recorded pronunciation is /bˈɔlpɔɪnt/.
What does ballpoint mean?: Ellipsis of ballpoint pen; the nib thereof, containing the ball.
Where does ballpoint come from?: From ball + point.

How to pronounce ballpoint

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “ballpoint”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/bˈɔlpɔɪnt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “ballpoint”.
Repeat and practice — Say “ballpoint” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.