Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

bought

/ˈbɔt/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.91 in modern English

Syllables
bought
IPA
/ˈbɔt/
12
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Compromised by money from special interests; corrupt.

Informal

noun

A bend; flexure; curve; a hollow angle.

Obsolete

noun

A bend or hollow in a human or animal body.

Obsolete

noun

A curve or bend in a river, mountain chain, or other geographical feature.

Obsolete

noun

The part of a sling that contains the stone.

Obsolete

noun

A fold, bend, or coil in a tail, snake's body etc.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

Etymology

See buy.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *bʰewgʰ-, bought

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈbɔt/
  • British English: /ˈbɔːt/

Usage

Inflected Forms

boughts (plural) bout (alternative) bowt (alternative) boughte (alternative) bughte (alternative)

Derived Forms

Phrases

Synonyms

Homonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce bought?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈbɔt/.
What does bought mean?
simple past and past participle of buy.
Where does bought come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce bought

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