Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

-ham

/ˌhæm/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.12 in modern English

Syllables: -ham
IPA: /ˌhæm/

8

Scrabble Score

3

Letters

2

Syllables

3

Unique Chars

Meaning

suffix

Place-name suffix, variously indicating a settlement, farm or enclosure.

Etymology

From the convergence of two elements: * Middle English -ham, -hame, from Old English hām (“home, farm, estate”), from Proto-West Germanic *haim. Cognate with German -heim and Dutch -hem, and doublet of home. * Middle English -hamme, from Old English hamm (“enclosure”, often specifically “land enclosed by a river”), from the root of Proto-West Germanic *hammjan (“to pinch, to hem, to enclose”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: -ham, hām, *haim, -hamme, hamm, *hammjan

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˌhæm/
British English: /əm/

Phrases

-hampton -hamsted -hamstead -hampstead

Frequently Paired Words

-hampton -hamsted -hamstead -hampstead

Questions

How do you pronounce -ham?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌhæm/.
What does -ham mean?: Place-name suffix, variously indicating a settlement, farm or enclosure.
Where does -ham come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce -ham

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