How to Pronounce Professor

To pronounce "professor", say prof-ESS-or — 3 syllables, IPA /pɹəˈfɛsɝ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

professor

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying professor, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

3

Syllables

9

Letters

/pɹəˈfɛsɝ/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/pɹəfˈɛsɐ/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “professor”

Break "professor" into 3 beats and lean on "ESS" — that's the stressed one.

What does professor mean?

noun

  1. The most senior rank for an academic at a university or similar institution.
  2. A teacher or faculty member at a college or university regardless of formal rank.

Keep practicing

Related pages on PronounceIt, chosen from what we know about this word.

Train the contrast: light vs right

Sounds worth drilling for a word spelled like this:

/r/ — r/ə/ — schwa/f/ — f

Read next: The English R: Why It’s Hard and How to Fix It

Frequently asked questions

How do you pronounce "professor"?▾

To pronounce "professor", say prof-ESS-or — 3 syllables, IPA /pɹəˈfɛsɝ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

How many syllables are in "professor"?▾

"Professor" has 3 syllables: prof · ess · or.

What is the IPA transcription of "professor"?▾

The IPA transcription of "professor" is /pɹəˈfɛsɝ/.

What does "professor" mean?▾

Professor: The most senior rank for an academic at a university or similar institution.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “professor” in the full dictionary →