Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

-our

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: 6.14 in modern English

Syllables
-our
IPA
3
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
2
Syllables
3
Unique Chars

Meaning

suffix

Used to form abstract nouns of state, quality, or action from Latin or French roots.

British usage

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English -our, from Anglo-Norman -our, -ur, and Old French -or (modern -eur), from the Latin accusative suffix -ōrem, from -or. The spelling with u reflects the Anglo‐Norman raising of the Old French close‐mid vowel /o/ (which developed from the Latin long vowel /oː/) to a high‐back vowel /u/. In the United States, the spelling -or—which had coexisted as a variant since Middle English—was standardized by Noah Webster to match the original Latin form.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Usage

Inflected Forms

-or (alternative)

Questions

What does -our mean?
Used to form abstract nouns of state, quality, or action from Latin or French roots.
Where does -our come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce -our

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