Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

cere

/sɪɚ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.00 in modern English

Syllables: cere
IPA: /sɪɚ/

6

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

1

Syllables

3

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A fleshy, waxy area at the base of the upper beak in certain birds.

verb

To wax; to cover or close with wax.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"The cere is the fleshy spot just above the beak where the nostrils, or nares, are located. In some species, like the parakeet, the cere is prominent; in others, the cere is covered by feathers. Both the cere and the nares should be clean[…]"
"a strong twisted Thread cered"

Etymology

From Middle English sere, from Old French cire, from Latin cēra (“wax, cere”), or via Latin cērō (“to smear or coat with wax”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: sere, cire, cēra

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

ceres (plural) sere (alternative) ceres (present, singular) cering (participle, present) cered (participle, past) cered (past)

Derived Forms

cerecloth cereless

Homonyms

sear seer sere cyr

Rhymes With

here year we're near clear hear career fear wear appear dear beer

Questions

How do you pronounce cere?: The recorded pronunciation is /sɪɚ/.
What does cere mean?: A fleshy, waxy area at the base of the upper beak in certain birds.
Where does cere come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce cere

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