wilhelm scream

Questions

What does wilhelm scream mean?

A stock sound effect of a man's scream, used in numerous films.

Where does wilhelm scream come from?

Named after Private Wilhelm, a character in The Charge at Feather River (1953), one of the earlier films to use the effect.

How to pronounce wilhelm scream

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “wilhelm scream”.
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 “wilhelm scream”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “wilhelm scream” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.