To pronounce "couth," say "kuth" with a hard "k" sound, like "cut" but with a "th" ending. This archaic adjective describes someone who is sophisticated or cultured.
The word "couth" is pronounced with a hard "k" sound followed by a "uth" ending, similar to "cut" but with a "th" sound at the end. The stress falls on the first syllable: KUTH. The "u" sounds like the "oo" in "book."
"Couth" is an adjective that describes someone who is refined, polished, or well-mannered. Its opposite, "uncouth," is far more common and means rude or uncultured. "Couth" itself is rarely used in modern English but appears in older texts or humorous contexts.
Many people mistakenly pronounce "couth" as "cooth" with a soft "c" sound, likely because they associate it with "uncouth," which is pronounced with a soft "c." However, "couth" should always be pronounced with a hard "k" sound.
For example, if you were describing a character in a novel who is elegant and sophisticated, you might say, "Despite his rough appearance, he was surprisingly couth." The correct pronunciation would be "KUTH" with a hard "k" sound.
To further clarify, compare it with other words like "cut" or "put." The pronunciation of "couth" follows the same pattern but ends with a "th" sound instead of a "t."