Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

ernest

/ˈɜː(ɹ)nɪst/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.72 in modern English

Syllables: ernest
IPA: /ˈɜː(ɹ)nɪst/

6

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

name

A male given name from the Germanic languages; popular in the 19th century.

name

noun

Obsolete form of earnest.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

"GWENDOLEN. […] and my ideal has always been to love someone of the name of Ernest. There is something in that name that inspires absolute confidence."
""What's his name, your boyfriend?" "Ernest. Ernest Hemingway." The name was received in disparaging silence. Marlene said: "You wouldn't get me going out with a feller called Ernest. My granddad was Ernest.""
"Devon Dunham of Hardeeville was found not guilty of murder in the shooting death of 77-year-old Ernest Stevens after a two-day trial May 25-27, the 14th Circuit Solicitor's Office said."

Etymology

Borrowed in the 18th century from Ernst, a medieval royal name in Germany, from Old High German ernust (“vigor, strife”), only remotely related to modern German ernst or English earnest.

Origin

Source language: Old High German

Word Breakdown

Root: *h₃er-, ernust

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /ˈɜː(ɹ)nɪst/

Usage

Obsolete

Frequently Paired Words

Ernie Ernestine

Homonyms

Earnest

Rhymes With

sternest

Questions

How do you pronounce ernest?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɜː(ɹ)nɪst/.
What does ernest mean?: A male given name from the Germanic languages; popular in the 19th century.
Where does ernest come from?: It is traced to Old High German.

How to pronounce ernest

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