Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

silent h

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.35 in modern English

Syllables: silen-t h
IPA

10

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A letter ⟨h⟩ that is written but not pronounced.

Example Sentences

"The vihuela (silent h) is a small, guitar-like instrument strummed as much for its percussive as its melodic sound."
"Examples include the silent h in ghost (to match Dutch gheest, which later became geest), aghast, ghastly and gherkin."

Inflected Forms

silent h's (plural)

Questions

What does silent h mean?: A letter ⟨h⟩ that is written but not pronounced.

How to pronounce silent h

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