English spellings/Catalogs/B

B = bê is = bêe insect

B-sîde, *bêesîde, cf. '''besîde

bàa sheep = bàh exclamation = BrE bàr drink, chocolate, soap

Bà'ath party BrE = bāth water = Bāth ''city

'''baboôn

'''bâby-boômer

Bábylón

Bàch music = bàch Welsh

báchelor unmarried = Bátchelor person

backbénch adjective one word

báckbiting one word

backfîre one word

báckhand tennis

back-hánded ambiguous

bácklash one word

bácklog one word

báckstab one word

backyàrd one word

bád evil = báde asked

bádly = Báddeley

Bágehot = '''Bádgett

Baghdád BrE; AmE Bághdad Bágd-

Bahrâin: it is becoming more common in careful speech to sound the Arabic h separately after àh—a hypercorrect spelling pronunciation, as the hr consonant pairing does not occur in native English words

bâil law, cricket = bâle hay, parachute

bâilie magistrate = Bâiley person (also Ôld Bâiley, London's law court)

bâit hook = bâte fury, restrain

bâize cloth = bâys bay

bálance = Bállance

Bálham *Bállum

Bàli island = BrE bàrley beer

bålk

Bålkans cf. '''bálcony

båll game = båwl shout

ballerìna cf. '''pizzerìa

bállèt *bállây, cf. '''bállot

Bâlliol

bàlm -àm

bàlmy sea = BrE bàrmy daft

'''Båltimore

báluster cf. '''bánister

'''bamboôzle

banàl BrE; AmE '''bânal

'''banálity

'''banāna

bánd group, round = bánned ban

bandôneon

bándwagon ''one word

Bangkók cf. Háncóck, both -ngk-

Bangladésh *Báng-gla-désh; *Bàng-gla-dèsh is a more local pronunciation

'''bánish

Baràck Obama = Baràk Ehud: Michelle Obama says that "Barack-oli" = bróccoli (in American English, à = ó), but some British broadcasters routinely pronounce it as bárrack, others as "Baráck"

Bàrbara cf. '''Barbéra

'''barbãrian

'''barbáric

bàrbecûe *bàrbeqûe is a common error

Bàrça, short for '''Barcelôna barcarólle or '''-óle

Bàrclay *Bàrcly

Bàrclay's *Bàrclíz

bàrd poet, bacon = bàrred bar

Bardôt *Bardô makes a minimal pair with '''Bordeaux

bãre naked = béãr animal, tolerate

'''bãrely

'''Bárenbŏim

bàrgaín *bàrgin

'''bàrley

bàrman one word

'''bàr mítzvah

'''bàrnacle

'''Bàrnstaple

'''bàrnstàr

báron nobleman = bárren bare = Bárron = Báron

baróque BrE *bərók, AmE *barôke

bárrack, cf. Baràck = '''Baràk

bárràge -àzh BrE, AmE *bəràzh

'''bárrier

Barrôso -zu

'''bàrtender

bâse basic = bâss treble, cf. báss fish = Báss person

Bàsel Switzerland, cf. Básil ''person

bâses base -ssíz = bâsses music

bâsês basis -ssêez

bâsic -ss-

Bâsie -ss- cf. Bássey (minimal pair)

básil = Básil -z-

bâsin -ss-

bâsis -ssíss

bāsk sun = Bāsque people

bāsketball ''one word

báss fish = Báss person

bâss treble = bâse basic

bassoôn (-ssoô-)

bâste pour, sew = bâsed located

batállion cf. '''báttle

bâte anger, breath = bâit lure

bāth = Bāth city cf. bâthe swim, final e signifying voiced '''th

bátón, one t, cf. Pátton, Hátton etc.

Bátón Roûge

báttlefield one word

båuble decoration, cf. búbble gas

båulk (mostly British, billiards spelling of bålk)

'''båwdy

Baŷer, '''Baŷern

Báx person = bácks back

bazàar *bəzàr, cf. bizàrre, '''í

Bà’ath party BrE = bāth water

bê is = bêe insect

bdéllium dé-

bêach sand = bêech tree

bêad string = Bêde person

bêan eat = bêen was

béãr tolerate, animal = bãre naked, cf. bêer drink, hêar listen

bêard cf. Bãird (minimal pair)

bêat win, hit, rhythm = bêet ''sugar

bêater beat BrE = bêta ''Greek

beátify saint *bê-át-, cf. Sêáttle *Sê-áttle and beaûtify beauty byû-

beátitude bê-át-

Bêatríce, Bêatrix, a as schwa: Bêə-

beau boyfriend = Bô Diddley

Beaûliêu England = Beŵlêy

beaûty *byûty, rhymes and forms a minimal pair with '''dûty

because ó

Béchèt *Béshây

Béckenham -nəm

Béckham -kəm

béckon

bêe insect = bê is

bêech tree = beâch sand

bêen was = bêan eat

bêer drink = bìêr coffin

bêet sugar = bêat hit

Bèethôven *Bâitovən

bêetle insect = Bêatle Beatles, cf. bêat rhythm, '''Bêtelgeûse

befŏrehand one word

bég

Bègg = Bâig

behālf *bihāf

'''behâve

behêmoth *bəhêməth or bêhemoth *bêəməth

behôve BrE; AmE '''behoôve

bèige *bâyzh

Beijíng *Bây-jíng; some say 'zh' for j

bêíng cf. '''Bíng

Beirût *Bây-roôt

Belarûs: this post-Soviet word (once literally rendered as 'White Russia', and still called 'Weißrussland' in German) still shows only occasional signs of regularising to *Bélərəs, comparable to Latinate names like Pándarus and Cërberus; probably the most common pronunciation is *Belərûs (*Bélla Roôse); also *Belərùs, *Byélə-rûs, etc. Similarly with adjectives: Belarússian, Belarûsian, and Belarûsan

'''Bélfāst

Bélgium *Béljəm country forms a minimal pair with Bélgian ''nationality

belîe cf. relŷ, belŷing, '''lîe

'''belìêve

béll ring = bélle woman

'''Béllevûe

'''béllicôse

bellígerent -j-

béllow shout, bellows cf. belôw under

'''bélly

'''Bélvedêre

* belŷ belîe

Bénaud *Bénnô

bénchmark one word

'''bénefit

'''Bénettón

'''benévolent

Bengåli

benîgn -nîne

benígnant -nígnənt

Benìn -nêen

Beninêse

'''Bénjamin

Bénnett = Bénnet Jane Austen = Bénet

'''Bénzedrìne

bérèt *bérrây

bërk insult = Bürke person

Bërkelêy California cf. Bàrclaỳ person = BrE Berkeley person

Bërkshîre AmE; BrE *Bàkshə, as with bàrk dog, tree, Bàrking town

Berlín but usually transferred stress in '''Bërlin Wåll

Bérne Switzerland = bãirn baby, or = bürn ''fire, brook

bérry fruit = bury ground = Bury town = Bérry ''person

bërth ship = bïrth ''born

bêta BrE; AmE '''bèta

Bêtelgeûse *Bêetlejûice, *Bétlgëz

Bétjeman *Bétcheman

béverage = '''Béveridge

Béverley England, etc. = Béverly ''Hills, etc.

bewãre one word, cf. '''bê awãre

bewíldered BrE *biwíldəd, AmE *bêwíldərd

bezìque *bəzêek

Bhutàn

Bhutanêse

Bhùtto: this is the family's pronunciation, with the vowel sound of pùt, but since the death of Benazir the BBC and other broadcasters have taken to saying "Boôto"

bî- two = bŷ preposition = bŷ- extra = bŷe cricket, goodbye = buŷ sell = bî bisexual

bîas (plural bìases *bîəsíz) = Bŷas

bîased (one s) *bîəst

bìdet *bêedây

bìêr corpse = bêer drink

bîght loop = bîte teeth = bŷte computer

bígot rhymes with '''Píggott

Bilàwal Bhùtto Zardàri

Billerícay -rícky

Bíllie female = Bílly male = bílly goat

bíllôw, cf. belôw

'''bîô-

'''biógraphy

'''biólogy

bîôpic, '''biópic

Bïrmingham BrE *Bïrmingəm, AmE *Bïrming-hám, g not sounded separately

bïrthdate one word

bïrthplace one word

bíscuit *bísket makes a minimal pair with '''bāsket

bîson cf. '''bâsin

bít, past tense of bîte, as well as a noun meaning piece

bîte food = bŷte computer = bîght loop

bizàrre *bí-zàr, cf. bazàar *bəzàr

bláckcurrant cf. '''cúrrent

bláckguard rhymes with lággard

'''bláckmail

'''blàh blàh blàh

blānch white = Blānche person

blancmange *bləmónzh

blãre noise = Blãir person

blasphême, blasphêmer, blásphemy

blâtant rhymes with '''pâtent

bléssed *blést; but mostly as attributive adjective: a *bléssíd '''thíng

blóc grouping = blóck prevent, wood, building

Bloemfontein *Blùmfontâyn

blónd male person, male and female adjective = blónde female person

blòodstained ''one word

blòodthirsty ''one word

blûe colour = bleŵ blow

blürred cf. '''cûred

Bǒ Xilaî *Båw-Shilî

bŏard wooden, directors = bŏred boring, cf. brŏad wide

bŏarder boarding = bŏrder edge

'''bôast

'''bôat

Boàteng Bwà-

Boèhner *Bâyner cf. Groèning *Grâyning

Bôeing person = bôwing music

Boer *Bùer or = bŏre

bôgey golf, ghost = bôgie trolley, truck = Bôgey ''Bogart

Bogotá Spanish accent usually written; pronounced *Bogətàh

Bŏisê *Bŏicey

Bóko Harám, Haràm, cf. Prôcol Hàrum

bôld brave = bôwled ''bowl

bôlder bold = bôulder ''rock

bôle tree = '''bôwl

Bólingbroke ends like '''broòk

Bóllywood

bôlt metal = Bôlt = Bôult ''persons

Bólton city, person = Bôulton ''person

bómb *bóm

Bombây

bómbing *bómming

'''bôna fîdê

bonhomìê, bonhommìê *bónóm-êe

'''boôgie-woôgie

boòk cf. '''búck

boòkcase one word: extended k sound

boòkkeeper one word: extended k sound

boòkshop one word

boôm (though usually boòm boòm)

boôn = '''Boône

boor rude = Boer South Africa *bùer or bŏre ''boring

'''boôst

Boôtes *Bwôtêz often has a diaeresis: '''Boötes

boôty spoils = boôtie ''boot

boôze drink = boôs ''boo

Bordeaux *Bŏr-dô, *Bŏre-dôe, *Bŏre-dôugh, cf. Bardôt, *Bardô, same stress pattern, minimal pair

bŏrder edge = bŏarder boarding

bŏre boring, carried = bŏar animal

bŏred boring = bŏard ''wooden, directors

bŏredom *bŏrdum

Bŏrgia *Bŏrjə

bŏrn birth = bŏrne wind = bŏurn ''stream

bòrough town BrE -rə, AmE = búrrow earth, cf. bórrow lend

bosom *bùzəm

'''bôth

'''bóttleneck

Bôtóx

boûgainvillea *bûgənvília

bòugh tree = bòw ''low, ship

Bóugh *Bóff

bôulder rock = bôlder bold = Bôulder ''Colorado

Boulogne *Bəlŏin

'''böurbon

bŏurgeois bŏrzhwà

bourgeoisìê bŏrzhwà-zêe

bŏurne stream = bŏrn birth = bŏrne ''carried

Bŏurnemouth *Bŏrnməth

bòw low, ship = bòugh ''tree

bôw knot, music, arrow = Bôw London = Bô

'''bòwel

bòwer tree = bàuer ''euchre

Bôwie David

bôwl all other meanings = bôle ''tree

bóxing sport = Bóxing ''Day

bŏycott = Bŏycott

Bŏyd = buŏyed ''lifted

brâin head cf. Brîan person

brâinchîld one word

brâinwash one word

bránd

Brándeîs ends with îce

Brasília with an s pronounced z, Brazíl with a z: both have a buzzing s in the original Portuguese, but the former, a later import, preserves the original spelling

Brazílian

bréad food = bréd breed

breâk smash, interval = brâke car

breâkaway adjective cf. breâk awây verb

breâkdown noun cf. breâk dòwn verb

'''bréakfast

breâkthroûgh noun *brâkethrû; cf. breâk throûgh verb

bréast = '''Brést

bréath noun unvoiced th, brêathe verb voiced th, cf. mòuth, same noun-verb distinction in pronunciation of the th, but always the same spelling

bréathtaking adjective one word

Brécon Wales cf. brácken plant (minimal pair)

bréd breed = bréad food

brêed animal cf. bréad food

Breîvik (*Brŷvik) is closest to the native pronunciation of Anders Behring Breivik, but most English speakers say "Brèivik" (*Brâyvik)

bréthren -dhrən

'''breŵ

Brîan = Brŷan, cf. brâin, O'Brîen (one is more likely to meet a Brian O'Brien than a Brien O'Brian)

'''brìêf

brîght -ît

Brísbane *Brízbən, rhymes with '''Lísbon

Brítain country -tən; = Bríton citizen, Brítten, Brítton, Bríttain persons

Bríttany France ≈ Brítney person

brŏad *bråwd, cf. bŏard = bŏred, minimal pairs

bróccolì *bróckəlêy

Brómwich *Brómmidge

Brónte *Brónty; often written '''Brontë

broôch pin AmE; BrE = brôach speak

broôm sweep = brûme mist

bróthel unvoiced '''th

bròther voiced th, making a minimal pair with its cockney equivalent, '''brúvver

Bròúgh *Brúff

broûgham carriage = broôm sweep; or -gha- as schwa, *brûəm

'''broûhàhà

'''bròw

'''bròwbeat

bròwse rhymes with ròuse -z

Brûges = Brûgge *Brûzh

brûise contusion *brûze = breŵs beer

brûsque *broôsk

'''Bruneî

'''Brunél

'''Brússels

Buchánan Bùk-

Bucharést Bùk-

búck, Búck cf. boòk, '''búxom

búd = '''Búd

búddy = '''Búddy

'''Budapést

Bùddha -ùdə (cf. original spelling of Bùddah Récords)

Bùddhist -ùdi-

Buénos Aîres Argentina –ríz or Ãires *Ãríz, cf. Ãries Ram

búffalo = '''Búffalo

bùffèt eat *bùffây

búffet hit, t sounded

buffoôn -ffoô-

'''Bûíck

buíld *bíld

buílding *bílding

'''Bulawâyo

'''Bulgãria

'''bùll

'''bùlletin

bùllshit one word

'''bùlwark

búmblebee cf. '''Dímbleby

'''búmf

'''Búnsen bürner buŏy sea = bŏy ''child

buŏyant *bŏyant

bürden load = Bürdon ''person

bûreau *byûrô, plural bûreaux, *byûrôz, cf. '''pólitburo

bureaucracy *byû-rócracy

bureaucrátic: -eau- as schwa: *byurəcrátic

bürger hamburger = bürgher business = Bërger person

'''bürgeoning

Burkìna Fáso -ss-

'''Bürma

bürn fire, stream = Bÿrne name cf. Bérne ''Switzerland

bürqa cf. bürger, BrE minimal pair

búrrow ground = AmE bòrôugh town cf. Búrrôughs person

bury ground = bérry tree = Bury ''England

bús transport = búss kiss

búsed driven or bússed = búst bosom, broke

búses plural, verb *bússes

'''bùsh

búsing -ss-

business *bízniss, cf. bíz, busy-ness being busy

businessman one word, bíz-

bússed or búsed driven = búst bosom, broken

busy bíz-

busybody *bízzybódy-, one word

busy-ness busy cf. business matter, both bíz-

bûte drug = beaût beautiful = Bûte ''Scotland

bútler = Bútler = Búttler

bútt head, joke, buttocks = bút however

'''bútterfly

bútton

búxom

buŷ sell = bŷ preposition = bŷ- incidental = bŷe cricket = bî- two = bî bisexual = Baŷh

'''bwàna

'''bŷe-bye!

'''bŷ-election

'''bŷ-product

Bÿrd person = bïrd fly

bŷte computer = bîte teeth = bîght bay

Býzantîne, Býzantìne, *Bŷ-zántîne, *Bŷ-zántíne

Byzántìum *Bŷ-zántìəm