Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hawser

/hɔzɚ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.60 in modern English

Syllables: hawser
IPA: /hɔzɚ/

12

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

1

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A thick or heavy-duty cable or rope used to tow or moor a ship.

Example Sentences

"Near-synonym: mooring line"
"The hawser was as taut as a bowstring, and the current so strong she pulled upon her anchor. All around the hull, in the blackness, the rippling current bubbled and chattered like a little mountain stream."
"A hatchet to my hawser? all adrift to go?"

Etymology

From Middle English hauser, haucer, from Anglo-Norman haucer, from Vulgar Latin *altiāre (“to raise”), derived from Latin altus (“high”). Altered in English by mistaken association with hawse and perhaps haul. Compare French aussière, haussière.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: hauser, haucier, *altiāre, altus

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /hɔzɚ/
British English: /hɔːzə/

Inflected Forms

hawsers (plural)

Phrases

hawser iron hawser-laid hawser-laid rope

Frequently Paired Words

hawse bitt bollard towline towrope

Synonyms

mooring line

Questions

How do you pronounce hawser?: The recorded pronunciation is /hɔzɚ/.
What does hawser mean?: A thick or heavy-duty cable or rope used to tow or moor a ship.
Where does hawser come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce hawser

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